'Advocate' Editor and Author, Mark Thompson, Remembered for Grasp of Gay Spirit

He was the author of The Advocate‘s definitive history and a number of books about LGBT culture.

www.advocate.com/media/2016/8/13/advocate-editor-and-author-mark-thompson-remembered-grasp-gay-spirit

“Gay Bachelor” Back Online, Male Olympians Hugging & There Must Be Something In Team USA’s Water

It’s Olympic week— a perfect time to bury that nagging story about your mysterious epic bar fight last week, or confront those old photos from that magazine you never wanted people to see. Go ahead, everybody’s paying attention to the Olympics!

While NBC kept up its homophobic coverage of the Games, Instagram stepped up and filled the void with thirst posts. Here’s what you might have missed:

Alleged “gay Bachelor“ Robert Sepulveda Jr. started posting again after a seven-week hiatus.

Raul Castillo graced the cover of Bello magazine. The new porn ‘stache looks good on him!

Bronze medalists Daniel Goodfellow and Tom Daley sandwiched the original Olympic goddess, Johnny Weir. (Tom also met fellow gay icon Greg Louganis!)

Vanity Fair threw back to their 2004 photo shoot with now 27-time Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps.

And then he peed in the Olympic pool!

Nyle DiMarco set fire to Rockaway Beach.

Out Brazilian diver Ian Matos wore green to match the pool.

Team GB sprinter James Ellington finished training, and then probably did some laundry on his stomach.

Kim Kardashian wannabe Joey Prixx spent $60,000 on his ass.

(But it still doesn’t hold a candle to the giant peach on gay comic Matteo Lane.)

French high-heeled dancer Mehdi Mamine went to the beach.

Out Tongan swimmer Amini Fonua, our new favorite person, told Nico Hines and the Daily Beast to kiss his ass.

Joanne the Scammer got out of drag for Fader.

Lin-Manuel Miranda got The Rock to perform a Beauty and the Beast classic.

CNN reporter Jeremy Diamond was accosted by an angry Trump supporter in Florida. He’s also bae af.

Team USA gymnasts Sam Mikulak and Jake Dalton didn’t fulfill their dream of competing shirtless, but they sure inspired a few new dreams for us.

God damn, boys!

Seriously, Team USA. Stop it.

Pietro Boselli biked around Venice.

Brooklyn Beckham posted his gains.

Game of Thrones star Jason Momoa got drunk and shirtless. Wonder how many drinks it takes to turn him?

Team USA gymnast Danell Leyva fell off the high bar and onto the pages of Elle.

The Daily Mail shaded Team GB divers Chris Mears and Jack Laugher for their “unmanly” hug after winning gold.

The Daily Mail did not shade Australian swimmers Cameron McEvoy and Kyle Chalmers for theirs.

Studly Brazilian gymnast Arthur Zanetti‘s solo sex tape leaked!

His teammate Sérgio Sasaki has one too!

And sorry, Eric Nicolino— Israeli model Barak Shamir gave us new hair goals.

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Is NBC Sports Homophobic?

NBC Sports seems to have a problem treating gay athletes, and the gay parents of athletes, with the same respect and visibility it shows to their heterosexual counterparts.

They failed to identify Tom Daley‘s financé Dustin Lance Black when showing he and Daley’s mother in the crowd, dressed in matching “Team Daley” shirts.

Black, an Academy Award winning screenwriter, is famous in his own right. Mentioning the family members and partners of athletes while showing them cheering in the stands is typically a reflex during Olympic coverage, which is always hungry for a good human interest story.

Related: Gay, Bi Men Prefer Olympic Aquatics, Team GB Shows Why 

“Could the network have resisted lingering over an Oscar-winner affianced to an Olympic medal-winner if the relationship didn’t involve two people of the same sex?” Slate asks, continuing, “…do you really think they wouldn’t point out a diver’s celebrity fiancée if it were Marion Cotillard, Brie Larson, or another Oscar-winner whose fame level was roughly commensurate with Black’s?…You don’t have to be the kind of person who sees homophobia everywhere to think the commentators were reluctant to bring up a star athlete’s homosexuality.”

Then there was commentator Chris Marlowe referring to Brazilian volleyball player Larissa França’s wife as her “husband.”

“I’m sorry for the mistake today. Clearly, Liliane is Larissa’s wife,” Marlowe said, which served as the only apology to come from the network.

Former NBA player Jason Collins, the first openly gay athlete to play in one of the four major U.S. sports leagues, and was one of the many people on Twitter to express their frustration with the mistake, tweeting a link to Outsports article on the incident.

I saw this live and was confused when the commentator said “husband”. C’mon @nbc @NBCOlympics @NBCSports #DoBetter ? t.co/UYJC0qfiOf

— Jason Collins (@jasoncollins98) August 9, 2016

This goes beyond the Olympics, as Outsports points out:

For the last few years NBC Sports has employed an avowed proud homophobe, Tony Dungy, as one of its lead NFL commentators. Dungy has raised money to oppose equality for gay people, has said he “disagrees” with Jason Collins being gay and, in a fit of hypocrisy, said he would not want openly gay NFL player Michael Sam on his team.

Dungy, meanwhile, has advocated for us all to forget the crimes of Michael Vick, whom he has mentored after his release from prison.

Related: Michael Sam Sees More Racism In Gay Community Than Homophobia In Black Community 

NBC Sports was previously forced to apologize for not mentioning Australian Diver Matthew Mitcham‘s partner in the stands, despite doing so for the partners of straight athletes. Mitcham, who won gold, was the only openly gay athlete at those Olympic Games. That too went unmentioned.

At the U.S. Olympic trials, diver Jordan Windle was accompanied by his fathers.

“They wouldn’t say ‘Jordan’s dads’ during the finals of Olympic Trials,” Jerry Windle said. “They just said ‘parents.’ Then they wouldn’t show both Andre and I together like they showed other parents.”

In 2014, the International Olympic Committee officially added sexual orientation protections to its policies, after the Games were held in Russia, which has a less than stellar record on LGBTQ rights, to say the least. They recently updated their policy on transgender athletes as well, allowing transgender men to compete without limitations and transgender women to compete after a year of hormone replacement therapy, provided their testosterone levels are equal to or lower than their cisgender female counterparts.

Related: Nike Drops Ad Championing Transgender Athlete During Olympics

This year’s Olympics has a record number of out LGBT athletes, meaning it is even more important than ever for them to get their coverage in order.

Some athletes have been subjected to antigay slurs from audiences, particularly the USA women’s soccer team.

A tennis broadcaster for the BBC got into trouble for a homophobic joke he made involving the kiss cam, which lead to an apology.

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LGBTQ, immigrant youth, allies show GLAAD their acceptance in Texas

www.glaad.org/blog/lgbtq-immigrant-youth-allies-show-glaad-their-acceptance-texas

In Her Own Words: The Big Moment When This Olympian Got Engaged (Video)

www.advocate.com/sports/2016/8/13/her-own-words-big-moment-when-olympian-got-engaged-video

Out Filmmakers Respond to 'Making a Murderer' Breakthrough (Video)

www.advocate.com/crime/2016/8/13/out-filmmakers-respond-making-murderer-breakthrough-video

“Male Fitness Photographer” Drugged And Raped The Men He Lured To His Home

Craigslist is rife with sketchy ads looking for young aspiring models to pose for photos — “no pay, but great exposure and the perfect way to start your portfolio…” And if you’ve ever considered answering one, the following story might make you think twice — and then think again.

Nigel Brent Wilkinson would approach his subjects on Instagram, inviting hopeful male models over to his house under the pretense of “photo shoots.” Then, he’d surreptitiously spike their drinks and have sex with them as they lay unconscious.

Related: Human Trafficker Who Forced Men To Have Sex For 18-20 Hours Per Day Gets 11 Years In Prison

Pink News reports that the 43-year-old has confessed to two counts of rape, three counts of using a drug with the intention to rape, and two counts of possession of an illegal substance.

In Bristol Crown Court he was sentenced to 11-and-half years behind bars.

Related: Man Accused Of Keeping 12 Male Sex Slaves, Branding Them With Tattoos

“On the surface, Nigel Wilkinson was a photographer with an interest in male fitness models,” Detective Con Stacey Matthews explained to the court. “In private, he was a cunning sexual offender who used his photography enterprise as a cover and catalyst for his deviant activities.”

Related: Small Town On Edge After Persistent “Glory Hole Driller” Strikes Again

The men would often stay at his home and throughout their visit he would ply them with alcoholic drinks, some of which were laced with sedatives.

“While they were in a drugged state, Wilkinson’s predatory nature would prevail and he’d commit sexual acts on them without their consent.”

One truly unreal detail: Police were paying a visit to Wilkinson’s home following one man’s report of what happened to him — and that’s when they found a second victim lying unconscious on the sofa.

Related: Ex-Cop Pretended To Be A Woman To Lure 60 Straight Men To His Glory Hole, Did Other Even Creepier Stuff

Since then, a third victim has contacted police.

“We believe there’ll be more victims who haven’t yet come forward,” Detective Matthews says, “and I’d urge them to do so.”

If you have any information regarding Wilkinson, you’re asked to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 5216165860.

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A Heartbreaking Look At Why So Many Bisexual Men Remain Closeted

“I would never tell anyone,” a male participant in a recent study conducted by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. “I’ll go to my grave with this.”

The study, which was released earlier this summer, looked at roughly 200 closeted bisexual men with wives or girlfriends, and the findings were pretty heartbreaking.

Related: Why Are Bisexuals So Self-Destructive? This Study May Have The Answer.

Eric Schrimshaw, an associate professor of sociomedical sciences, helped lead the study and says it sheds even more light on some of the reasons why bi guys choose to remain closeted, even today, in the year 2016.

Many of the guys interviewed said they kept their true sexual orientations a secret out of the fear of criticism and ridicule by their peers. They worried their wives and girlfriends would have “extreme negative reactions,” and that their friends and family members would treat them differently.

And, honestly, they’re justified in feeling that way.

Think Progress points to a 2013 study by the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health that found that many people, including many gay men and lesbians, have negative perceptions of bisexual people, labeling them “confused” and “experimental.”

Related: At What Point Does A Person Stop Being “Bi-curious” And Just Become Bisexual?

One man in his 40s told researchers at Columbia that he had briefly considered telling his long-term girlfriend about his sexuality. “I thought, if there was anyone I could tell, I could tell her,” he said. But he changed his mind after seeing how she reacted to learning a friend’s husband was gay.

A number of the guys also said they remained closeted because they didn’t want to be labeled as gay or have their attraction to women discounted, or because they feared becoming targets of violence. One participant revealed that when his cousin came out, his family beat him up then disowned him.

“Men link those stigmatizing reactions and that anticipation of stigmatizing reactions to the fact that they are from a particular culture or religion,” Schrimshaw says, “so it’s an extra factor that facilitates those negative reactions.”

So what’s the takeaway from all this?

Well, researchers say, people need to start recognizing that bisexual men really do exist. They aren’t confused or secretly gay or wish-washy. And they’re perfectly capable of being in monogamous heterosexual relationships. Or monogamous homosexual relations. Because, after all, that’s what being bisexual is all about.

Related: Is It Time To Start Being Nicer To Bisexuals?

h/t: Think Progress

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Rio 2016, Day 7 Report: Soccer Battle Zone, Zika, Gay Clubbing Tips, and a Sex-Free Olympics

Sun is shining bright again in Rio and beaches will start filling up soon as the second week of competition goes underway. The celebrity attention has started to shift from Michael Phelps to Usain Bolt, who’s confident he can get a gold medal for the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m races for the third consecutive Olympics.

 

But before we change gears completely, let’s take a look at what happened on day seven of Rio 2016:

Team USA hit the 50 medal mark, with 20 gold, 13 silver and 17 bronze:

@lu_squi here’s the #Rio2016 #OlympicGames medal count pic.twitter.com/alf1jzpFUb

— Rio 2016 (@Rio2016_en) August 13, 2016

♦

Two openly-lesbian soccer coaches, Jill Ellis of the U.S.A and Pia Sundhage of Sweden (plus five publicly out players between both teams) battled it out during the quarterfinals. After a dramatic 1-1 match which had to end in penalty kicks, Sweden won and sent Team USA home. The Americans were the defending gold medalist, and favorite to win gold.

Goalkeeper Hope Solo, one of the stars of the American team, didn’t take it too well. She called Sweden “cowards” and claimed that the “best team did not win,” causing a major backlash on social media.

To add to the drama, Sweden’s coach Sundhage had previously coached Solo and the American team from 2008 to 2012. She fired back: “I don’t give a crap [about what Solo said],” she told Sports Illustrated. “I’m going to Rio, she’s going home.”

Then Solo sort of apologized: “not all wins have been pretty,” she said in a tweet.

.@nrarmour: Hope Solo is an embarrassment to both her team and her country. t.co/94rvCF73MW

— USA TODAY Sports (@USATODAYsports) August 13, 2016

♦

Solo should know better. Before she arrived in Brazil, she joked on Twitter about being #zikaproof on the #RoadToRio and the host country didn’t find it very funny.

At every game, whenever she touched the ball, a loud chorus of boos coming from tens of thousands of fans would fill the stadium. The boos would go on for a few seconds — until she kicked the ball — when the entire stadium would yell in unison: “ZIKA!”

Not sharing this!!! Get your own! #zikaproof #RoadToRio pic.twitter.com/y3d8hnuEjk

— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 22, 2016

If anyone in the village forgets to pack repellent, come and see me…#DeptOfDefense #zikaproof pic.twitter.com/x8RdUV6M7c

— Hope Solo (@hopesolo) July 22, 2016

♦

Speaking of tension, Egyptian judoka Islam El Shehaby refused to shake hands with his opponent Or Sasson of Israel after losing in a first-round match in the heaviest weight class.

Egyptian judoka Islam El Shehaby loses to Israeli Or Sasson, refuses to shake hands in a major breach of etiquette. pic.twitter.com/kOU1oAd5YW

— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) August 12, 2016

“That is extremely rare in judo,” the American coach Jimmy Pedro told the New York Times. “It is especially disrespectful considering it was a clean throw and a fair match. It was completely dishonorable and totally unsportsmanlike on the part of the Egyptian.”

♦

American swimmer Katie Ledecky won her fourth gold medal on the 800-meter freestyle, breaking her own world record winning by an eternity of 11.38 seconds — or almost half a pool length.

Katie Ledecky, pictured with the 7 next best swimmers in the world. pic.twitter.com/3C08xu9DL7

— Rodger Sherman (@rodger_sherman) August 13, 2016

♦

Brazilian news portal UOL reported about Ooohlympics, PornHub’s abstinence campaign which offers free Pornhub Premium memberships to all Rio visitors and locals during the games.

“The authorities are recommending abstinence in order to combat Zika. That’s not so easy in the world’s sexiest city,” the site says. “So, in order to help you avoid temptation, we are offering free Pornhub Premium memberships to anyone who is in Rio during the games. That way, even though you’ll have to dedicate yourself to only individual sports these Olympics, you’ll still feel like a champion.”

Check out the video explainer below. It’s kind of brilliant:

♦

And if you want to party like the locals in Rio tonight, here are few places to check out:

You can never go wrong with world-famous megaclub The Week, for an all-night dance fest. The club is located at Rua Sacadura Cabral, 135. (Tip: if you don’t want to sound too much like a tourist, the correct pronunciation is Deh Weekey.)

To Nem Aí is a cute bar in Ipanema, located just two blocks from the gay beach at Rua Farme de Amoedo, 57. Perfect for pre-kiki.

Galeria Café also in Ipanema (Rua Teixeira de Melo, 31) is celebrating Rio 2016 with a tribute to dance floor divas, throwing its Let’s Movie party.

Bear Nation is a popular dance party for the carioca bear community and their lovers. Tonight’s edition will be at La Paz, located at Rua do Resende, 82, Lapa

For a more alternative crowd, you should head downtown to Lapa for a special anniversary edition of the Warsaw party, at Oficina Club (Av. Mem de Sá, 122).

The post Rio 2016, Day 7 Report: Soccer Battle Zone, Zika, Gay Clubbing Tips, and a Sex-Free Olympics appeared first on Towleroad.

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