RECAP: Day Two Of The 2016 DNC Was A Doozy! How Will Day Three Fare?

Day two of the 2016 Democratic National Convention was filled with powerful speeches, calls to action and performances. Here is a roundup of the best the day had to offer…

Bill Clinton’s Full Speech at 2016 DNC

The most anticipated speech of the night came from former President Bill Clinton.

Clinton, the gifted orator that he is, had the crowd hanging on his words and he delivered, starting with the story of how he met Hillary. His recollections were warm and personal, something the Hillary Clinton campaign has been criticized for not having enough of in the past.

Related: Yes, Bernie Is Voting For Hillary Clinton

But it wasn’t all personal. He also made the case for Hillary as a leader who can make a positive impact on our country.

“She is the best darn change maker I have ever known,” Clinton said, in his characteristically folksy way.

“I can tell you this. If you were sitting where I’m sitting and you heard what I have heard at every dinner conversation, every lunch conversation, on every lone walk, you would say this woman has never been satisfied with the status quo in anything,” he said. “She always wants to move the ball forward. That is just who she is.”

Read the full transcript of Bill Clinton’s speech here.

Meryl Streep’s Full Speech at 2016 DNC

Meryl Streep came with all the energy, starting off her speech with a Howard Dean-esque “Wooo!”

“We got some fight left in us, don’t we?” she asked the crowd. “What does it take to be the first female anything? It takes grit, and it takes grace.”

Related: The LGBTQ Drinking Game And What To Look For At The Democratic Convention

“Hillary Clinton has taken some fire over 40 years of her fight for families and children,” she continued. “How does she do it?”

She pointed out that history had been made and said that history would be made again in November, assuring that Clinton will win the election against Donald Trump, whom Streep recently parodied.

“She’ll be the first, but she won’t be the last,” Streep concluded.

Read the full transcript of Meryl Streep’s speech here.

Hillary Clinton Surprise Appearance Via Satellite 

Clinton made that same case when she made a surprise appearance via satellite.

Related: This Gay Sanders Delegate Isn’t 100% On Board With Hillary Yet, But Never Say Never 

“Hello, Philadelphia,” she said. “I’m so happy. It’s been a great day, and what an incredible honor that you’ve given me. And I can’t believe that we’ve just put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling yet, thanks to you and to everyone who’s worked so hard to make this possible. This is really your victory. This is really your night. And if there are any little girls out there who stayed up late to watch, let me just say, I may become the first woman president, but one of you is next.”

Alicia Keys Performance at 2016 DNC

Alicia Keys performed “Superwoman” and “In Common.” She dedicated her performance to the Mothers of the Movement.

She also called for unity.

Related: Alicia Keys On Playing Gay

“Big up to Bernie Sanders. Where are my Bernie people at? Big up to Hillary Clinton. Where are my Hillary people at? It’s time to stand together and be unified,” she said. “We can’t let politics divide us. We have to show the world that bigotry and fear will never win, because we have so much in common.”

“Tonight is an incredible night for American history and feminist history. Don’t waste the vote. Vote for Hillary Clinton, because love will always win!” Keys said.

Mothers of the Movement

Mothers of the Movement took the stage to speak on the need to protect people of color from violence and police brutality, with nine women present and three speaking: Geneva Reed-Veal, the mother of Sandra Bland, Lucy McBath, the mother of Jordan Davis, and Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin.

Related: 35 LGBTQ Organizations Call For Justice For Trayvon Martin

There were “Black Lives Matter” chants and signs on the floor.

“I am here with Hillary Clinton tonight because she is a leader, and a mother, who will say our children’s names,” Reed-Veal. “She knows that when a young black life is cut short…it’s a national loss. It’s a loss that diminishes all of us.”

This major platform for the movement for the protection of black and brown lives is another reason this convention is making history.

Read the full transcript of the Mothers of the Movement speeches here.

What were your favorite moments from night two of the 2016 Democratic National Convention? Let us know in the comments below.

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Twitter Responds To That Gargantuan (Alleged) Photo Leak Of Reality Star Alex Bowen

As we breathlessly reported yesterday, a black-and-white photo that apparently features Love Island‘s Alex Bowen made the Internet rounds yesterday as feverish fans clamored and clicked to get the goods. (Needless to say, the Internet isn’t the only thing Bowen would be capable of breaking.)

Related: This Week In Leaks: The Purported Jaw-Dropping Pic Of Reality Star Alex Bowen You Need To See

Now, shellshocked witnesses have taken to Twitter to try to digest what they’ve just taken in — and clearly, we all have our own ways of coping. Some voice disbelief, others reach for funny gifs to suppress their envy, while a surprising number of people lament that they “can’t unsee” what they’ve seen.

Why the hell would you want to?

My reaction to @ab_bowen07 leaked pic #preyforliv #alexbowen pic.twitter.com/wzbafyUnEH

— Stephanie Whitely (@steph_whitely) July 27, 2016

Just seen the #alexbowen pic. No words?

— Mol (@Molly_Brown1342) July 27, 2016

Alex girlfriend every night….. #alexbowen #LoveIsland #girlfriend #boxing #dick #dickpic pic.twitter.com/C2oPZiJvHn

— Ragga (@Ragga0) July 27, 2016

NAAAHHH that #alexbowen pic can’t be for real ??!!!! That beast would do some damage ?!!!!

— CL (@CatherineLornie) July 27, 2016

Why haven’t I seen Alex Bowens pic?! Is it really as big as all you girls say it is? #LoveIsland #alexbowen

— Kinky Guy (@kinkyguy85) July 27, 2016

Found a book for @ab_bowen07 ????? #alexbowen #nudes pic.twitter.com/QtmhYjhoGK

— ?Laura? (@LauraBurnipX) July 27, 2016

Girls all of a sudden aren’t complaining about a cheeky dick pic any more?#alexbowen

— Phil Barnes (@philbarnes97) July 27, 2016

I’ve just seen that #alexbowen picture and wondered how many cervixes have wept after that.

— Fifi. (@fifi_manson) July 26, 2016

Oh & I still don’t know who #alexbowen is. But I know something about him I can’t un-know…..

— Yanny (@Roseyanny) July 26, 2016

Alex Bowen broke the Internet, and probably Olivia aswell ? poor lass ? #LoveIsland #alexbowen #ouch

— Emily Armstrong (@emilyarms) July 26, 2016

Alex Bowen is the reason no guy will ever be good enough now ?? #standardset #prayforolivia #alexbowen

— LAURA (@Laura_Jaie) July 26, 2016

Some things cannot be unseen @Michy26 @NadiyaBekarHill #alexbowen ??

— Clare McDermott (@eralcm) July 26, 2016

Is it just me or Alex Bowen stole the Qutab Minar? AlexBowendickpic #alexbowen #dickpic

— The Autosome (@TheAutosome) July 26, 2016

Holy fuck Alex Bowen’s dick should literally be considered an X-men style mutation! #AlexBowen #alexbowensdick #dicks #xmen #mutant

— Kasey (@Creepazoid_) July 26, 2016

See the very, very NSFW image that everyone’s fainting over HERE.

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Return to Stars Hollow with New Trailer for Netflix’s ‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life’ – WATCH

It’s finally here. Your first glimpse at the long-awaited return to Stars Hollow.

On Wednesday, Netflix released a new trailer for its upcoming Gilmore Girls mini-series, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. The trailer opens with images familiar to Gilmore fans (Luke’s, The Dragonfly Inn, Lorelei’s house), and then puts the attention squarely where it belongs: on the banter between Lorelei (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel).

Mocked by MadTV as “Gabmore Girls”, Gilmore Girls became famous among fans and haters alike for its mile-a-minute dialogue, often focused on pop culture. And it looks like the mini-series will return to this same territory. In the new trailer we see Lorelei and Rory discuss two figures currently popular on the pop culture landscape: Amy Schumer and John Oliver.

Netflix also announced on Wednesday that the 4 part TV event will premiere on November 25.

More on the show via Netflix’s YouTube posting:

Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life includes four 90-minute chapters, each spanning one of the four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life is created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, who executive produces, writes and directs the four 90-minute chapters with Daniel Palladino.

Watch, below.

The post Return to Stars Hollow with New Trailer for Netflix’s ‘Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life’ – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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Derrick Gordon, 1st Openly Gay Player in March Madness History, Leaves Basketball to Become Firefighter

Out gay basketball player Derrick Gordon has announced he is leaving the sport to focus on become a firefighter in San Francisco.

Gordon came out in 2014 and became the first openly gay Division 1 basketball player in the NCAA. Gordon again made history this past spring as the first openly gay player to compete in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness.

PREVIOUSLY: Derrick Gordon, First Openly Gay D1 Basketball Player, Ready to Go at Seton Hall

Said Gordon of his decision to leave basketball behind, “I’ve had an amazing basketball career and want to thank everybody who has always been there supporting me every step on the way…But I’m making a change in my career…I will now be working towards becoming a San Francisco Firefighter!! I’m excited about this and looking forward to having a long career!!”

Gordon shared the news on Instagram.

 

SB Nation has more on Gordon’s decision to leave the sport:

Despite seeming like an obvious candidate to land a professional contract somewhere, Gordon says that seeing the World Trade Center collapse across the river from his childhood home in New Jersey had a lasting effect on him.

 “It’s something I thought about when I was little,” Gordon explained to the Daily Hampshire Gazette. “I like to help people. I talked to my parents about it. It’s the best decision for me to move on with my career.

“It’s a lot different than basketball. But it’s still working as a team and I’m doing it in the best city. It’s a great opportunity and a great situation. At the end of the day as long as I’m happy that’s all that matters.”

Best of luck, Derrick!

The post Derrick Gordon, 1st Openly Gay Player in March Madness History, Leaves Basketball to Become Firefighter appeared first on Towleroad.

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AFA Goes After Hilton Hotels for ‘Shocking’ Travel + Leisure Readers with Gay Couple

Our never-happy foes over at the American Family Association (AFA) are at it again.

AFA is an anti-LGBT nonprofit which fears the ‘homosexual agenda‘ so much that it uses most of its $30M of annual revenue to promote the biblical ethic of decency in American society by boycotting companies such as American Girl, Hallmark Cards, Ford and, most recently, Target.

AFA’s attack du jour is aimed at Hilton Worldwide, a company known to celebrate diversity and inclusion, that has received a perfect score in HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index for three years in a row.

 

After Hilton Worldwide published a full page ad in the June 2016 issue of Travel + Leisure magazine featuring two men in the same bed — smiling, under the covers and wearing t-shirts — AFA couldn’t take it. Hilton had “shocked readers,” and the organization had to do something about it.

After all, AFA explained on its website, “Travel and Leisure isn’t a gay-specific magazine sent directly to homosexual’s homes. It’s a widely distributed mainstream publication that can be found in many public places such as doctors’ or auto repair waiting rooms.”

Can you even imagine? If you are waiting for your car to be repaired, grab a magazine to pass the time, and that’s what you have to look at?

Thankfully, the AFA was generous enough to share some advertising ideas:  “If Hilton had advertised two men playing tennis, cards, or having lunch, that would have been reasonable. However, Hilton chose to make a cultural and social statement by purposely marketing the promotion of homosexuality to a large segment of the population who finds the idea of two men sleeping together unnatural and offensive.”

To AFA, it’s clear that “Hilton is defending its decision to promote homosexuality in the magazine and will likely take it further with other forms of mainstream media.” The anti-gay organization even quoted the hotel chain to reinforce its point: “Hilton Worldwide is a global company of diverse cultures serving diverse guests…We are proud to depict and reflect our guest diversity in our advertising.”

To the American Family Association, that is irrefutable proof that Hilton Worldwide is attacking traditional family values.

And because AFA aims to restrain evil by exposing the works of darkness, it asked concerned citizens to sign a petition to Hilton Worldwide urging them to market responsibly by advertising in a more family friendly manner when marketing through mainstream media:

The petition collected almost 43,000 signatures in less than 48 hours.

The Southern Poverty Law Center lists AFA as a hate-group for its continued use of demonizing propaganda aimed at homosexuals and other sexual minorities.

Bryan Fischer, a conservative radio hot and a writer for The Stand, AFA’s official blog,  makes it easier to understand why: he has blamed the holocaust on LGBT people; has called for an “underground railroad” to kidnap kids from LGBT parents; he’s said God is going to use ISIS to punish America for being tolerant of LGBT people; he’s said that same-sex behavior  “represents an enormous threat to public health,” and it clearly should be criminalized.

Photo credit: Hilton Hotels/Twitter

The post AFA Goes After Hilton Hotels for ‘Shocking’ Travel + Leisure Readers with Gay Couple appeared first on Towleroad.

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Specter Of Violence Could Overshadow Otherwise LGBT-Welcoming Olympics

Despite Brazil’s legal protections, the LGBT community is quite vulnerable to violence, which could impact the Rio Olympics.

The post Specter Of Violence Could Overshadow Otherwise LGBT-Welcoming Olympics appeared first on ThinkProgress.

thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/07/27/3801755/rio-olympics-lgbt-violence/

Wednesday at the DNC: Obama and Biden Take the Stage; Tim Kaine Accepts VEEP Nomination

The Democratic National Convention continues tonight with speeches from President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Vice Presidential nominee Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia. Over the last eight years, the Obama Administration has made history advocating for equality and transforming through policy and leadership the lives of countless LGBTQ people and their families. And Kaine, who will accept his party’s nomination tonight, has a solid commitment to LGBTQ equality.

Christine Leinonen, the mother of Drew Leinonen, who was killed in the tragic shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando last month, will also address the crowd, along with Brandon Wolf and Jose Arraigada, survivors of the attack that took the lives of 49 LGBTQ people and allies, almost all Latinx.

Georgia-based HIV activist Daniel Driffin is also slated to speak. Driffin will be the first openly HIV-positive speaker at a major party convention in 16 years.

Vice Presidential Nominee Senator Tim Kaine

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. One of Kaine’s first actions as Virginia Governor in 2006 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).

President Barack Obama

President Obama’s legacy of progress on LGBTQ equality is unmatched in our nation’s history. As the first sitting President to embrace marriage equality and advocate for the equal rights of all Americans, he has signed the only signature pieces of LGBTQ-inclusive legislation to be passed by Congress: the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and the first-ever LGBTQ-inclusive Violence Against Women Act reauthorization.

The Obama Administration has also made a record number of appointments of LGBTQ judges and ambassadors, and has proactively instituted many far-reaching administrative and regulatory policy changes that have dramatically improved the lives of LGBTQ people in all 50 states and around the world.

In a watershed moment for transgender equality, earlier this year the Obama Administration issued new guidance for school districts to ensure that transgender students are treated with dignity and respect in public and federally-funded school — including having equal access to sex-segregated facilities, such as restrooms and locker rooms that are consistent with their gender identity. While reflecting on the guidance in Buzzfeed News interview, President Obama said, “We’re talking about kids and anybody who’s been in school …who’s been a parent … should realize that kids who are sometimes in the minority — kids who have a different sexual orientation or are transgender — are subject to a lot of bullying potentially. They are vulnerable. … it is part of our obligation as a society to make sure that everybody is treated fairly and our kids are all loved… protected and that their dignity is affirmed.”

He and Vice President Biden also support the Equality Act. And last month, President Obama designated the park at Stonewall in New York City as the first-ever national monument in the U.S. National Park system dedicated to telling the story of the LGBTQ American experience.

Vice President Joe Biden

As Vice President of the United States, Vice President Biden has played an integral role in the Obama Administration’s unprecedented legacy of progress for the LGBT community.

At HRC’s 2015 Spring Equality Convention, the Vice President called for the passage of new federal LGBT non-discrimination protections.  “We have to pass the federal non-discrimination legislation, and we need to pass it now,” said Biden. A few months later, the landmark Equality Act was introduced in Congress.

At an HRC event in Los Angeles last year, Biden highlighted the importance of defending LGBT rights abroad in the United States’ foreign policy agenda, and he joined HRC President Chad Griffin during the World Economic Forum in February, for a round-table discussion on LGBTQ equality with business leaders from across the globe.

Read more about all the Administration’s advancements on behalf of the LGBTQ Americans here.

The combination of Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine make for the most pro-equality ticket in history.  Hillary Clinton has made LGBTQ equality a pillar of her campaign, including  calling  it her “highest priority” to pass and sign into law the Equality Act. In addition, she supports the military’s decision ending the ban on open transgender military service, is fighting to outlaw dangerous and debunked “conversion therapy” for minors and is calling for an end to the epidemic of transgender violence. Read more on Clinton’s strong LGBTQ platform and record here.

Clinton-Kaine stand in stark contrast with the Republican ticket of Donald Trump and Mike Pence. Among his anti-equality positions, Trump has vowed to rescind marriage equality and pledged to appoint U.S. Supreme Court justices who would overturn last year’s historic Obergefell marriage equality ruling. He has pledged to sign the so-called First Amendment Defense Act, which could allow individuals, many businesses, and nonprofit organizations to circumvent critical federal protections and blatantly discriminate against LGBTQ families.

Pence, in a now notorious interview with ABC last year, refused to answer eight separate times when asked whether businesses should be able to discriminate against LGBTQ people. Pence became a national disgrace in 2015 for his “license to discriminate” bill — which threatened to allow businesses to deny service to LGBTQ people — and for subsequently defending the bill after an outcry from the business community and a majority of Hoosier voters.

Read more on how Trump and Pence would put LGBTQ equality at risk here on HRC’s new “Dump Trump” site.

www.hrc.org/blog/wednesday-at-the-dnc-obama-and-biden-take-the-stage-tim-kaine-accepts-veep?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Conservatives Are Losing Their Minds Over the DNC's Gender-Neutral Bathrooms

One writer even referred to them as “rape rooms.”

www.advocate.com/politics/2016/7/27/conservatives-are-losing-their-minds-over-dncs-gender-neutral-bathrooms

Bill Clinton Did Not Give a Feminist Speech

Rachel Maddow criticized it as “shocking and weird” to repeatedly call Hillary Clinton “a girl.”

www.advocate.com/election/2016/7/27/bill-clinton-did-not-give-feminist-speech