Brazil’s First Gold Medalist in Rio Overcame Unimaginable Hardship With Help from Longtime Girlfriend

Rafaela Silva, the first (and so far only) medalist to give host Brazil a gold medal, had a very tough road leading up to her recent Olympic glory.

On Monday, Silva was nearly flawless while competing in the women’s 57kg (125.5 lbs) Olympic tournament. She won all five of her matches without giving up a single score to earn Brazil’s first gold medal of these Games. She defeated Sumiya Dorjsuren of Mongolia, the world’s No. 1 ranked fighter in the weight class.

She became an instant national hero and a figure who’s now adored by millions of Brazilian fans who were finally able to hear their national anthem played during a national ceremony.

But how things change, when you are on top.

Four years ago in London, Silva was a medal hope for Brazil but got disqualified after performing an illegal hold on a preliminary round during a fight with Hedvig Karakas of Hungary. She then became the target of vicious, racially-charged attacks on social media. She fell into a deep state of depression and considered leaving the sport.

During a conference Monday, she remembered those dark days:  “People told me: ‘The place for you is as a monkey in a cage.’ But my place is in sports, in judo.”

It was tough. But thankfully, there was love.

For the last three years, the 24-year old sergeant in the Brazilian Marine has counted on girlfriend Thamara Cezar for love and emotional support. Brazilian newspaper O Globo reported Wednesday that Cezar manages everything in the life of the gold medal-winner, so that the only thing Silva needs to worry about is to train and to win.

Cezar takes care of their three dogs (whom they call their “children”), she works as Silva’s PR person,  talking to the press and managing Silva’s social media accounts, and she does everything in the apartment they share in Rio.

She can’t cook and she’s also very messy, Cezar told O Globo. Silva didn’t deny it: “I’m not good at doing anything, really. I can only fight,” she said.

Silva grew up in the Cidade de Deus favela, one of Rio’s most dangerous neighborhoods, made famous by the 2002 film City of God  (which was directed by Fernando Meirelles, one of the three creative directors for the Rio 2016 opening ceremony.)

Speaking to Brazilian news channel Sportv after her win, Silva couldn’t even speak for a few seconds, trying to fight off her tears: “They said judo wasn’t for me, and that I was a shame to my family.”

Well, how sweet it must feel to prove everybody wrong!

“When you are next to somebody, and even without saying anything she makes you feel good.”

Top photo credit: Rafaela Silva / Instagram

The post Brazil’s First Gold Medalist in Rio Overcame Unimaginable Hardship With Help from Longtime Girlfriend appeared first on Towleroad.

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Belize Supreme Court Strikes Down Last Remaining Gay Sex Ban in Central America

Belize’s Supreme Court has struck down the nation’s gay sex ban, bringing to an end anti-gay law that was a holdover from the British colonial era.

The ban was reportedly the last such anti-gay law in Central America.

News of the ruling first broke on Twitter.

We won on all counts. Speechless. Omg. Speechless

— UniBAM Belize (@UNIBAMSupport) August 10, 2016

#Belize: Chief Justice rules in favor of Caleb Orozco 📸 #LoveFM #Belice #Biz #LGBT pic.twitter.com/GysCYu6zid

— Mardo A. L. Urbina (@MALUrbina) August 10, 2016

Belize: Claimant Caleb Orozco celebrates as Supreme Court kills last remaining gay ban in Central America… t.co/n15c4HMv0W

— Andrés Duque (@Blabbeando) August 10, 2016

News just in from Belize: court rules anti-gay criminal laws unconstitutional. A major victory for human rights! pic.twitter.com/4yIQfCQffQ

— Téa Braun (@TeaBraun) August 10, 2016

Proud of advocates & the Supreme Court in #Belize, striking down so-called “sodomy” law #HumanRights @freedomtomarry t.co/VvkckqbrFL

— Evan Wolfson (@evanwolfson) August 10, 2016

Background on the case which challenged ban via Human Dignity Trust:

“Belize’s Criminal Code (Section 53) criminalises “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” which includes consensual sexual conduct between adult males in private. The law, which though rarely used carries a ten-year prison sentence, disproportionately impacts on the lives of gay men. Caleb Orozco, a Belizean gay man and a prominent human rights defender, launched a challenge to Section 53 in the Supreme Court of Belize. The case was heard in May 2013 and judgment was reserved by Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin. …

The criminalisation of consensual male homosexual conduct is a legacy of British colonial rule. A total of 77 jurisdictions around the world still make same-sex intimacy a crime. Of these countries, 39 are within the Commonwealth and this includes all-but-one (the Bahamas) of the countries in the Commonwealth Caribbean. […]

Mr Orozco, supported by the Human Rights Interested Parties, seeks a declaration that s. 53 violates the Constitution to the extent it criminalises consensual adult conduct in private. He requests the Court to “read down” s. 53 so as not to apply to such conduct. The section would remain in force to cover non-consensual sex with a male or sex with an animal, since neither of these is currently covered under other provisions of the Criminal Code.”

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Hillary Clinton Disavows Support of Orlando Shooter’s Father

Hillary Clinton late on Tuesday officially disavowed the support of Seddique Mateen, the father of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen, who showed up to one of her rallies near Orlando and was spotted by news media and later interviewed.

ABC News reports:

Earlier in the day, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump called on Clinton to denounce his presence at the campaign stop. “She did not disavow,” Trump told Fox News’s Sean Hannity. “If that were me, this would be a headline all over the world about Trump. But she did not, as I understand it, disavow this man. He’s got some pretty harsh views.”

Clinton’s campaign representative responded hours later, saying, “She disagrees with his views and disavows his support.”

Mateen told news media that he wished his son “had joined the Army and fought ISIS. That would be much better” [than taking the lives of 49 innocent people].

Added Mateen: “Hillary Clinton is good for United States versus Donald Trump, who has no solutions.”

The post Hillary Clinton Disavows Support of Orlando Shooter’s Father appeared first on Towleroad.

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Belize’s Highest Court Decriminalizes Same-Sex Activity

Today, the highest court in Belize, a country in Central America issued a verdict that found the law criminalizing male same-sex sexual activity to be unconstitutional and ordered the law to be amended, a much-anticipated move hailed by HRC.

“This is a momentous victory for Belize, and I congratulate the LGBTQ advocates of Belize, as well as the countless legal experts and supporters who fought for this win,” said Ty Cobb, Director of HRC Global. “While Belize is the third country to decriminalize same-sex intimate relationships this year, advocates and attorneys from India to Kenya are diligently working on decriminalization efforts in the 72 countries where such laws remain.”

The decision, striking down Section 53 of the Belize criminal code, came as a result of the case Caleb Orozco v. The Attorney General of Belize.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Embassy in Belmopan raised a rainbow flag to commemorate LGBTQ Pride Month. 7 News Belize reported that it was the first time the symbol of LGBTQ equality was flown in the country. U.S. Ambassador to Belize Carlos Moreno said of the event, “LGBT rights are human rights, human rights are LGBT rights, there is no distinction, and there is no difference.”

With this ruling, the number of countries that criminalize LGBTQ people drops to 72.

Belize is the third country to decriminalize same-sex sexual activity this year, joining Nauru, a small island state in the Pacific Ocean, and Seychelles, an island state in the Indian Ocean.

While gradual progress continues to be made, there have also been setbacks. India’s Supreme Court re-criminalized same-sex sexual acts in 2013, overturning a lower court’s 2009 ruling to decriminalize by “reading down” the notorious Section 377, which had been declared unconstitutional.

Belize’s decriminalization verdict follows the May release of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) and Logo Entertainment’s historic report on global attitudes towards LGBTI people. The report found that 53 percent of respondents say that being LGBTI should not be a crime. This is the first survey showing that a majority of the world’s population supports the decriminalization of same-sex sexual activity.

www.hrc.org/blog/belizes-decriminalizes-same-sex-activity?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

ICYMI: In New Poll, Majority of North Carolinians Say HB2 is Harming the State

Today, the Human Rights Campaign released the following statement in response to a new poll released by Public Policy Polling showing an overwhelming 58 percent majority of North Carolinians believe that the discriminatory HB2 law is hurting their state’s economy and reputation. The survey also revealed that voters in the Tar Heel State reject the specious argument that HB2 has “made the state safer,” with only 29 percent agreeing with that statement.

And, by a 12-point margin, voters say North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory’s handling of the issue makes them less likely to vote for him. McCrory signed the measure into law.

“As this new poll reveals, there is no doubt that HB2 is inflicting very real harm on the people, reputation, and economy of North Carolina,” said JoDee Winterhof, HRC Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs. “Instead of doubling down on discrimination and undertaking a bizarre campaign to deflect blame for the fallout, Governor McCrory and state lawmakers should take responsibility and work to fix the mess they created. HB2 must be repealed before it causes even further damage.”

The full analysis from Public Policy Polling is below.

North Carolina Races Tight Across The Board

PPP’s newest North Carolina poll continues to find close races for all the major statewide office.

In the Governor’s race Roy Cooper has a slight advantage with 43% to 42% for Pat McCrory, and 4% for Libertarian Lon Cecil. Pat McCrory continues to be under water on his approval rating, now for 37 months running. 43% of voters give him good marks to 47% who disapprove. Opinions are pretty closely split three ways when it comes to Cooper with 36% of voters rating him favorably, 34% unfavorably, and 30% having no opinion either way.

HB2 continues to spell trouble for Pat McCrory. Only 30% of voters in the state support it to 43% who are opposed. By a 12 point margin voters say the way McCrory has handled the issue makes them less likely to vote for him- 43% less likely compared to only 31% who say it makes them more likely to support him. There’s a good chance that if not for HB2 McCrory would be favored for reelection at this point.

We continue to find 2 overwhelming sentiments when it comes to HB 2:

1) Voters overwhelmingly think it’s hurting the state. 58% say it’s hurting North Carolina to only 22% who think it’s helping. Specifically on the issue of the economy 58% say it’s hurting the state to just 8% who think it’s helping. When we last polled that question in June only 49% thought it was hurting the state’s economy so the high profile cancellation of the NBA All Star game may be helping to fuel those numbers. Even Republicans by a 24 point margin grant the impact HB2 is having on the state economy is more negative than positive. Additionally 55% of voters think HB2 is hurting North Carolina’s reputation nationally, while only 19% think it’s having a positive effect on the state.

2) Voters don’t think HB2 is actually having the impact it’s supposedly intended to have. Just 29% think it’s made North Carolina safer, to 50% who say it hasn’t made the state safer. A lot of the rhetoric around HB2 has focused on its helping make women safer but only 21% of them think it’s had that effect to 54% who say it has not.

The other key races for state offices in North Carolina all remain very competitive as well. Democrat Dan Blue III has 39% for State Treasurer to 37% for Republican Dale Folwell. Democrat Josh Stein has 39% for Attorney General to 38% for Republican Buck Newton. And the Lieutenant Governor’s race is dead even with incumbent Dan Forest and challenger Linda Coleman each at 37%. It’s the same story in the key State Supreme Court contest with incumbent Bob Edmunds and challenger Mike Morgan each coming in at 21%.

North Carolina’s Senate race is close as well. Richard Burr leads with 41% to 37% for Deborah Ross, and 5% for Libertarian Sean Haugh. The overarching themes of this race remain the same. Burr is not popular, with only 28% of voters approving of the job he’s doing to 39% who disapprove. But Ross is still pretty much unknown, with only 39% of voters having an opinion about her one way or another. Burr’s weak numbers make voters open to the possibility of replacing him, but they’ll have to learn more about Ross before they decide whether they think she’s a better alternative or not.

Ross has a number of issues to work with where Burr is very much at odds with the wishes of the American people. 78% of voters in the state supporting barring those on the Terror Watch list from buying a firearm, including 81% of Republicans, 78% of Democrats, and 73% of independents. 77% support background checks on all gun purchases, including 81% of Democrats, 75% of Republicans, and 71% of independents. North Carolinians even support an assault weapons ban by a 51/39 spread.

We also find by a 60/23 spread that North Carolinians would like to see the Senate move forward with Merrick Garland’s nomination to the Supreme Court by holding hearings. There’s bipartisan agreement on that issue with Democrats (74/13), independents (55/24), and Republicans (43/36) all in agreement. Finally we find 71% of North Carolinians- including 86% of Democrats, 70% of independents, and 51% of Republicans- would support increasing the minimum wage to at least $10 an hour. Burr is well out of step with public opinion on all of these things.

Full results here.

www.hrc.org/blog/icymi-in-new-poll-majority-of-north-carolinians-say-hb2-is-harming-the-stat?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: August 10, 2016

BREAKING: TROUBLE FOR NC GOV. MCCRORY, HB2 IN NORTH CAROLINA: A Public Policy Poll released today shows that deeply discriminatory HB2 law attacking transgender North Carolinians, continues to damage Gov. Pat McCrory and the state’s economy. A majority of respondents — 58 percent — say the HB2 is hurting NC, and, by a 12-point margin, voters say McCrory’s handling of the issue makes them less likely to vote for him. Read the full poll here.

DOZENS OF COACHES SAY NCAA BAN TOURNEY:  The majority of NCAA coaches who responded to a new CBS Poll, said the association should ban future tournaments in North Carolina until the discriminatory HB2 law is repealed. The NCAA recently announced that cities bidding to host championship games must submit a survey detailing their non-discrimination laws. One coach who was interviewed had this to say, “The NCAA is supposed to be about developing future leaders. What a way to set the tone on leadership and standing up for what is right.” More from CBS Sports.

HRC BLASTS TRUMP AND RUBIO FOR COURTING ANTI-LGBTQ ACTIVISTS IN FLA: HRC slammed GOP Presidential nominee Donald Trump and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FLA) for announcing they will campaign with anti-LGBTQ activists in Orlando tomorrow. “Just when you think Donald Trump and Marco Rubio couldn’t go any lower, they announce plans to court anti-LGBTQ activists in Orlando. On Thursday, Donald Trump and Marco Rubio are going to seek votes from people who fundamentally believe we are not equal, who support dangerous and harmful conversion therapy and who have worked to export anti-LGBTQ hate abroad, said HRC Senior Vice President of Policy and Political Affairs JoDee Winterhof. “Donald Trump would put at risk all the progress the LGBTQ community has made over the last eight years and we know all too well that Marco Rubio — who has refused to stand up for LGBTQ Floridians time and again — would be his loyal accomplice. Because of elected officials like Marco Rubio, LGBTQ Floridians remain at risk of being fired or denied a job because of who they are or whom they love.” More from Bloomberg and HRC.

• Meanwhile in NC, after being introduced by at a rally in Wilmington by NC Gov. Pat McCrory, Trump called him “a great guy” — while the governor once again shamefully “joked” about NC’s anti-LGBTQ law HB2 that Trump has endorsed. Trump later told a local news anchor that transgender civil rights should be a “state’s issue.”
• After the rally, Progress NC Action called on McCrory to disavow Trump’s reprehensible “Second Amendment” comment about Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. And HRC President Chad Griffin called out Trump.  

CLAPBACK OF THE DAY: Earlier this week, Bill Maher made disgraceful comments about trans rights, suggesting that they should take a “back seat” during the presidential election — despite more than 50 bills filed in 20 states across the country that targeted transgender people, as well as the heinous anti-transgender rhetoric spewed by candidates up and down the ballot. HRC’s Sarah McBride had a few choice words for Maher:

CALL IT OUT: U.S. Air Force Chief of Chaplains, Maj. Gen. Dondi E. Costin, was a featured speaker at a notoriously anti-LGBTQ event hosted by the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty (CARL), at which he appeared in uniform in apparent violation of military regulations. CARL was formed to oppose the repeal of the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” More from The Huffington Post.

AUSTRALIAN ADVOCATES STILL OPPOSE MARRIAGE VOTE: LGBTQ advocates in Australia continue to urge Parliament to say no to holding a popular referendum on marriage equality. Australian LGBTQ leader Michael Kirby wrote in a local op-ed, “Defeat in a plebiscite on same-sex marriage would kill the reform, probably for decades… A defeat in Parliament alone would do no more than delay the inevitable for a short time.” More from The Associated Press.

LGBTQ ARAB ADVOCATES TO MEET IN DELAWARE: In a first-of-its-kind meeting, LGBTQ advocates from Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the Gaza Strip will meet in Rehoboth Beach to discuss advocacy around LGBTQ issues. More from The Washington Blade.

READING RAINBOW

Billboard takes a look at a LGBTQ-focused fundraiser for Hillary Clinton featuring legend Barbra Streisand; Extra! Extra! Patch West Hollywood reports that a new LGBTQ newspaper is launching in WeHo; The Atlantic profiles Serbia’s first openly-gay government minister; The Advocate harnesses the power of being an out entrepreneur; ICYMI, Upworthy shares nine photos of Olympic rugby player Isabelle Cerullo accepting her girlfriend’s proposal after Monday’s final rugby match; Slate describes the ‘in-between-y’ feelings during early stages of transitioning; Mic has the trailer for Whoopi Goldberg’s new reality show — and it features five transgender models; and Cronkite News meets the foster children in a group home that serves LGBTQ youth.

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!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tip-sheet-august-10-2016?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Because Love ALWAYS Wins!
“I wanted to be part of this amazing campaign, because I want to show the world that love is the answer, and that people should never give up on love! I met my wife on a website in 2012. I lived in Brazil (I’m Brazilian), and she lived in the US (she is American). We dated long-distance for two years, just spending a few days together in quarterly visits – and it wasn’t

www.noh8campaign.com/article/because-love-always-wins

In historic step, Belize court scraps law targeting gay and bisexual men

www.glaad.org/blog/historic-step-belize-court-scraps-law-targeting-gay-and-bisexual-men

Florida Police Shoot and Kill 73-Year-Old Woman in Citizens Training Exercise (Video)

www.advocate.com/crime/2016/8/10/florida-police-shoot-and-kill-73-year-old-woman-citizens-training-exercise-video