Belize High Court Strikes Down Sodomy Law

Human rights activists hope the decision will influence other Caribbean countries.

www.advocate.com/world/2016/8/10/belize-high-court-strikes-down-sodomy-law

Bill Maher Is Wrong: Trans Rights Can't Wait

In a recent segment on his HBO show, Bill Maher insisted that the fight for trans rights should dropped until after the election. He couldn’t be more wrong. 

www.advocate.com/commentary/2016/8/10/bill-maher-wrong-trans-rights-cant-wait

Trump Tower, Green Pool, Chris Christie, Gay Sports Problem, Britney Spears, Daniel Leyva: HOT LINKS

WATCH LIVE.  A man is scaling Trump Tower in NYC with suction cups. Police are on the scene.

MAKE IT WERK. Tim Gunn invites you inside his NYC apartment.

More of my apartment from @traditionalhome (photo: John Bessler) It’s surreal to see it in print! pic.twitter.com/feIqEBZofD

— Tim Gunn (@TimGunn) August 10, 2016

MEDIA. The one thing that’s missing from cable news’ coverage of Donald Trump’s “2nd Amendment” comments. 

SKIVVIES. Cristiano Ronaldo models new line of CR7 underwear.

HISTORY MAKERS. When Tom met Greg.

INSTATHIRST. Brooklyn Beckham shows off his shirtless torso at the gym.

RUBBERS. Does the Olympics have enough condoms for Team USA male gymnast Daniel Leyva?

CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT. Female reboot of Ocean’s 11, ‘Ocean’s 8’, cast to include Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Rihanna, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Mindy Kaling.

POOL PROBLEMS. An algae bloom is reportedly to blame for one of the pools at the Rio 2016 Olympics turning green. 

Ermmm…what happened?! pic.twitter.com/pdta7EpP2k

— Tom Daley (@TomDaley1994) August 9, 2016

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE. NBC News reporter Katy Tur pens piece on her “crazy year” covering Donald Trump: “… in about three months, America will go to the polls and I can’t tell you if Trump is going to win or lose. The only safe prediction is that this most bizarre campaign will get even more bizarre before the ballots are popped.”

INCITING VIOLENCE. Trump denies reports that Secret Service met with campaign staff after yesterday’s remarks hinting at a call to assassinate Hillary Clinton.

BLING. The leotards Team USA’s female gymnasts wore on Tuesday night were covered in 4,000 Swarovski crystals, costing $1,200. 

NATIONAL ANTHEM. Gabby Douglas apologizes after people on Twitter upset she didn’t put her hand over heart during gold medal ceremony.

THE LEGENDARY MS. BRITNEY SPEARS. Godney will be playing carpool karaoke. 

BIG GAY PROBLEM. 8 years after failing to mention anything about the historic nature of Matthew Mitchum’s gold medal in diving, NBC Sports continues to be squeamish about mentioning anything have to do with the personal lives of openly gay Olympians: “The network failed to identify Dustin Lance Black in the audience of the men’s synchro diving finals as bronze-medalist Tom Daley’s fiancé. Not boyfriend, not long-time friend… fiancé. And an Oscar-winning fiancé at that (read: public interest). They are, arguably, the “it” couple of the gay community, yet NBC didn’t mention a word.”

LYING CHRIS. Former aide to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says Christie “flat out lied” about the Bridge-gate scandal: “Yes. But he lied. And if emails are found with the subpoena or … emails are uncovered in discovery if it comes to that it could be bad.”

FAVORITE. Chinese swimmer Fu Yuanhui is perhaps the most adorable athlete at the 2016 Olympics.

The sheer joy of this Chinese swimmer discovering her official time..#Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/gLkjiVoRn1

— My Daughter’s Army (@MyDaughtersArmy) August 9, 2016

RIO HEAT. Brought to you Japanese swimmer Daiya Seto.

The post Trump Tower, Green Pool, Chris Christie, Gay Sports Problem, Britney Spears, Daniel Leyva: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad.

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Virginia Mayor Resigns Following Meth-For-Sex Bust, Turns To God

As we reported last week, Fairfax City Mayor Richard “Scott” Silverthorne was recently arrested for offering meth to cops in exchange for sexual favors. In an emotional tailspin ever since getting a cancer diagnosis last year, Silverstone filed for bankruptcy after losing his recruiting job for the National Association of Manufacturers.

Related: What’s Behind The Enduring Allure Of Crystal Meth For Gay Men?

Following the arrest, he was also let go from his job as a substitute teacher.

According to a statement, Silverthorne has now resigned as mayor. His resignation will take effect Thursday.

Related: Five Ways To Reclaim Your Sex Life After Booze, Meth And Other Substances

As NBC News reports, the 50-year-old was arrested and charged for felony distribution of meth, as well as misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia following a sting operation that had been in the works since July of this year.

Related: Meth Use Is Rising Among NYC Gays…Again

According to a statement from the Fairfax City Police Department, detectives first approached Silverthorne  through a website, and during their exchanges, the mayor promised “a group sexual encounter” with the men in exchange for his drugs.

On Monday, Silverthorne told NBC, “My faith in God and myself will get me through the biggest challenge of my life. I ask that people keep me in their prayers.”

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Larry Kramer Busts Billionaire Buddy For Joining Trump’s Economic Brain Trust

This past Friday, in his much-hyped economic policy speech, Donald Trump named real-estate mogul Steven Roth as one of the many old white dudes who would make up his economic policy team. And that had Larry Kramer seeing red. Today, the playwright and gay rights activist posted a blistering open letter on his Facebook page, taking Roth to task for his involvement in the Trump regime.

“I don’t know why but I was incredibly shocked and disappointed when it was announced that you had become one of Donald Trump’s billionaire brain trust,” writes Kramer. “I could not believe that you could support a candidate, a vice-president, and a party that threatens many of the things that you hold most dear.”

For those of you unfamiliar with Roth and what he may or may not hold dear, Kramer sets up the billionaire and their personal relationship thus: the two became friendly back in 2010 when Roth’s wife, Daryl (of New York’s Daryl Roth Theater, home of Fuerzabruta) produced the Broadway revival of The Normal Heart. Roth’s gay son, Jordan, owns Broadway’s Jujamcyn Theaters — a gift from dear old daddy, according to Kramer — making him “one of the most important persons in the theater.” Kramer writes about attending Jordan’s wedding to Nurse Jackie executive producer Richie Jackson in 2012 — Donald Trump was there too — and mention’s the couple’s newborn sons.

All of which is meant to remind Roth of the threat the Republican nominee poses to those Roth cares about: “The platform of the Republican Party is the most homophobic one in recent memory. Its candidates spout nothing but hate for your extended family.”

Kramer goes on to recite the litany of Trump’s “ignoble acts”:

“He has refused to meet with anyone gay or any of our organizations that attempt to protect us and fight for our country’s health. He has not said a single intelligent word about gay marriage, gay adoption, AIDS, the gross ineptitude of the National Institutes of Health, the unconscionable greed of the pharmaceutical companies that are prepared to only save people when they are rich. He also has racial issues (one of your own grandsons is of mixed heritage), issues with women that certainly must offend your wife, and a growing list of off-the-wall remarks that only engender hate.”

Possibly most damning is Kramer’s indictment of Roth for his seeming motivation for aligning himself with Trump: greed. “You are one of the richest men in the world… I ask you fervently: don’t you have enough? How much more does one need to acquire before you and your fellow billionaires are willing to share and help and fight with us and not against us?”

Finally, Kramer attempts to appeal to Roth’s intelligence in challenging him to dump Trump, before deploying one of the most scathing and…accurate descriptions of the Republican candidate I’ve read thus far: “I cannot accept that such an intelligent and gifted man as I know you to be can believe that Donald Trump is anything but strange and scary, an indigestible cauldron of rotten and poisoned ingredients.”

Read Kramer’s full post here.

h/t: Vulture

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News Anchor Goes On Epic Rant About NBC’s Olympic Coverage – WATCH

In a hilarious and brilliant take-down, a Chicago-area sportscaster railed against the strict rules NBC enforces on other news organizations that want to report on the Olympics games.

WGN Chicago’s Pat Tomasulo managed to skewer not only NBC but also the International Olympic Committee (IOC)–all with the help of R. Kelly and video footage from his days as a singlet-wearing high school wrestler.

Via The New York Post: 

“It’s not the actual sports of the Olympics I don’t like,” Tomasulo said Tueday on a live segment. “It’s NBC’s restrictions on the TV rights and anything Olympic-related.”

Tomasulo lamented the lack of WGN Chicago’s Olympics coverage, which, per NBC’s rules, can include only two minutes of video and must contain a three-hour gap between programs. And those minuscule video rights are just the beginning.

“We’re not even allowed to use the Olympic theme song this year,” Tomasulo said. “Did you know that? And we can’t even incorporate the Olympic rings in any of our unique graphics. We have to show the whole thing or not at all.”

So Tomasulo decided to talk about another international sporting event currently going on that totally, 100% has nothing to do with the Olympics. You’ve probably heard of it: the “International Athletic Competition Run By One of the Most Corrupt Organizations in the World.”

These games have a completely different logo than the Olympics–multi-colored intersecting triangles– to make sure the two events aren’t equated

And this competition’s theme song? R. Kelly’s “Bump ‘n Grind”–which Tomasulo did a flawless lip-sync of.

To wrap up his argument about NBC’s draconian rules on use of Olympics footage, Tomasulo said, “And now, just to cover ourselves legally, I’m going to give the report over my high school wrestling highlights because I have no video left.”

Which he did while giving highlights of athletes whose names might sound familiar. Like Mickey Phelps.

Watch Tomasulo, below.

The post News Anchor Goes On Epic Rant About NBC’s Olympic Coverage – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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Tonga Flag Bearer Pita Taufatofua Shows You How to Oil Up Like an Olympian – WATCH

Pita Taufatofua, the Tongan flag bearer who broke the internet during the Olympic opening ceremonies on Friday when he entered the arena shirtless and greased up, is showing you how to get oiled up like an Olympian.

Taufatofua showed the Today show’s Alex Ficquette, known as ‘Alex on the Plaza’, how to apply coconut oil to show off your hard body.

It’s a nice turn of events for Taufatofua, who recently found himself speechless when Today show hosts Jenna Bush (yes, that Jenna Bush), Natalie Morales, and Hoda Kotb rubbed oil all over him. 

According to Taufatofua, coconut oil is “magical” and makes “muscles grow 100% better.”

PREVIOUSLY – Tonga Flag Bearer Pita Taufatofua Gets an Oil Body Rub on the ‘Today’ Show: WATCH

Ficquette for his part asked Taufatofua about Tongan culture. For instance he wondered, “If I’m in Tonga, does [coconut oil] always get put on by someone like you?”

Watch, below.

The post Tonga Flag Bearer Pita Taufatofua Shows You How to Oil Up Like an Olympian – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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