State Department Welcomes Applications for Key Populations Investment Fund

LGBTQ people have long faced violence in many parts of the world, which often prevents them from seeking or receiving HIV-related services. To help combat this problem, the U.S. State Department’s Global AIDS Coordinator recently announced the creation of a $100 million “Key Populations Investment Fund” over the next five years to combat stigma and violence against LGBTQ people and other groups. The Global AIDS Coordinator’s Office is now welcoming applications for funding through October 21.

“We will only end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 if no one is left behind,” said U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Deborah L. Birx, M.D., who oversees the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which is the U.S. Government’s chief initiative to help save the lives of those living with and affected by HIV and AIDS around the world. “It is unacceptable that key populations still face stigma, discrimination, and violence, which impede their ability to access quality HIV services. PEPFAR stands firmly and unequivocally with and for key populations.”

Key populations in this context are those communities who are most impacted by the HIV epidemic and whose treatment is neglected far too often. This list includes LGBTQ people, sex workers, people who inject drugs and people in prisons. LGBTQ people in particular face stigma, violence and discrimination in many parts of the world and often avoid HIV clinics out of fear for their own safety.

Funding from this new initiative will go to community-based organizations (CBOs) that serve those key populations in 38 countries. The money has specifically been set aside to help international CBOs identify and knock down barriers that prevent people from accessing HIV-related services. Funding can also be used to promote the human rights and social justice of all people regardless of their HIV status.

“It is critically important for PEPFAR to be prioritizing the human rights of LGBTQ people in this way,” said Ty Cobb, Director of HRC’s Global Program. “Particularly at a time when we see certain countries trying to keep LGBTQ people and other key populations out of the conversation around HIV, we applaud the U.S. government’s efforts to put key populations front and center where they belong.”

Funding will be spread out over the next five years and will be distributed among at least 10 “prime” recipients, with awards ranging from $500,000 to $10 million.

For more information about the fund, click here. 

www.hrc.org/blog/state-department-welcomes-applications-for-key-populations-investment-fund?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Trump’s Campaign Staff May Be The Most Homophobic Ever

Donald Trump offers many distinctions as a candidate: the most narcissistic, most bombastic, most orange candidate ever. But his campaign staff has a truly appalling distinction all its own: it may well be the most homophobic ever. Trump has surrounded himself with a virtual Murderer’s Row of far-right crazies who are calling the shots in Trump’s disorganized march on the White House.

It’s not as if previous GOP presidential campaigns didn’t have their share of anti-gay staffers. But, to the dismay of the right, they were often offset by campaign officials who were surprising supportive. Mitt Romney actually appointed a gay foreign policy expert to the campaign, Richard Grenell, until the religious right forced Grenell to resign. John McCain’s campaign manager, Steve Schmidt, was an early supporter of marriage equality and reached out to gay voters. Even George W. Bush had Dick Cheney making pro-gay noises, even as Karl Rove was fanning anti-marriage flames.

You’ll look in vain for a similar counterbalance in Trump’s campaign staff. As befitting the candidate’s own background, the campaign leaders don’t pack a lot of high-level political experience. Instead, they floated around the fringes, aided by the far-right echo chamber. For a man who hasn’t feasted on homophobia the way he has on racism, Trump has picked a surprisingly wretched crew to surround himself with.

Here’s a rundown of the low-lifes that are running the Trump campaign these days:

Kellyanne Conway

Conway has the official total of campaign manager, but she operates more as a spokesperson. Whatever she may be, Conway has a long antigay track record. For one, she was the pollster for the National Organization for Marriage, cooking up survey results that buoyed the organization’s stance even as its political power was eroding. For another, she worked for Ted Cruz before moving over to Trump.

As a pundit in the conservative bubble, Conway could be counted on to express her revulsion at anything lavender. Gay marriage? Two years ago, on a panel with NOM’s Maggie Gallagher, Conway said Americans were  “sick of lawyers in black robes making stuff up” and people redefining family to be “whatever feels cool.” When John Kerry noted that Dick Cheney’s daughter was a lesbian, Conway complained that it was the same as calling her a slut. When a children’s TV show portrayed two lesbian mothers, Conway exploded that  “regular Americans are standing up and saying … ‘I try to protect my kids from outside, external influences corrupting their minds and their bodies.’” There’s plenty more, but you get the idea.

David Bossie

Trump’s latest campaign hire is the man who brought us Citizens United, the group whose lawsuit successfully opened the floodgates to corporate money in politics. He’s really But Bossie’s agenda also includes attacking gays. When Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed, Bossie predicted that Marines would abandon the services in droves, leading to the restoration of the draft. “Pushing this legislation during a global war on terror is a dereliction of duty,” Bossie proclaimed. Bossie also bestowed a Free Speech award on Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson for his offensive remarks about homosexuality. “Even when the entire mainstream media demanded he disavow his beliefs and attempted to have him fired from his own hit show for expressing these beliefs, he stood firm in his faith,” Bossie said.

Steve Bannon

As the campaign CEO, Bannon advocates for Trump to be even more Trump. As head of Breitbart News, Bannon played a key role in the mainstreaming of the white supremacist alt-right. He’s also directed the site to portray the LGBT community in the most lurid and defamatory manner possible. Of course, that’s when he’s not slurring us himself. In the past week, a tape from 2011 emerged in which Bannon complained that conservative women like Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann were attacked by liberals who prefered “a bunch of dykes that came from the Seven Sisters schools.” Unsurprisingly, one of Bannon’s former employees says that such comments are par for the course: “He made more off-color comments about minorities and homosexuals than I can recount.”

Mike Pence

The vice presidential candidate isn’t in the campaign leadership. At times, he barely seems to be part of the ticket at all. But for reliable homophobia, no one can beat the man who made homophobia a hallmark of his political career. He should feel right at home with the new gang.

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore

feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/cP086mdtjUc/trumps-campaign-staff-may-homophobic-ever-20160906

MMA Fighter Nicolas Dalby Stands with the LGBTQ Community at UFC Weigh-In

MMA fighter Nicolas Dalby weighed in for a match at UFC Fight Night in Hamburg, Germany on Saturday flaunting his support for the LGBTQ community in a “We Are All Fighters” t-shirt. He later posted a photo to Instagram.

Wrote Dalby: “Weigh-ins for #UFCHamburg done! 170 and ready to smash Sobotta! 😈 But it was more important for me to show my support for the #LGBTQ community ❤️💛💚💙💜. #WeAreAllOne“

Here’s video:

Dalby lost his match to Peter Sobotta.

Wrote Sports Joe: “Nicolas Dalby entered into the UFC as an undefeated prospect, but after suffering a lopsided unanimous decision loss (30-26 across) to Peter Sobotta in the lion’s den at the weekend, he holds a record of 1-2-1 on MMA’s biggest stage. Dalby showed an almost superhuman ability to take damage without being finished to see the tough contest out until the final buzzer. Sobotta rocked him with a huge right uppercut midway through the first round.”

Dalby later showed off a bruised eye and said he had a broken orbital bone.

Maybe a little massage will be of help:

Dalby talked about wearing the “We Are All Fighters” shirt in a post-match interview with MMAViking.com:

“[Gay rights] doesn’t come up to the surface that often [in UFC fighting]. I have a bunch of good friends that are gay as well so I just wanted to show that Mixed Martial Arts and support of the gay community can go hand in hand.”

The post MMA Fighter Nicolas Dalby Stands with the LGBTQ Community at UFC Weigh-In appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/IfkDEIRqypw/

Straight Men French-Kiss Gay Men for the First Time and Everyone Seems to Enjoy It: WATCH

Straight men and gay men play tongue hockey for the first time in a new video that sends a great message about being open-minded, being secure, and being accepting of people for who they are and who they love.

YouTubers Bria and Chrissy paired other YouTubers up for their big moment.

Despite the unsurprising fact that none of the kisses caused the straight guys to switch teams, all seemed to experience the mood-boosting rush that comes with swapping spit:

A kiss sends sensations directly to the limbic system, those parts of our brains associated with love, passion, and lust. As neural impulses bounce between the brain and the tongue, the facial muscles, the lips, and the skin, they stimulate our bodies to produce a number of neurotransmitters and hormones. One of the most important neurotransmitters is dopamine. Spiking during a kiss, dopamine is responsible for a rush of elation and craving and can also result in the obsessive thoughts that many of us experience with a new romance — almost like an addiction.

Watch:

The post Straight Men French-Kiss Gay Men for the First Time and Everyone Seems to Enjoy It: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/81n5QorN2-s/

Queen’s Brian May Announces the Naming of an Asteroid After Freddie Mercury: WATCH

Asteroid 17473 a 3.5km-wide celestial object on the other side of Mars, will be named after the late Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. Queen’s Brian May made the announcement on Monday, which would have been Mercury’s 70th birthday.

The Guardian reports:

May, who has a PhD in astrophysics and an asteroid named after him already, revealed the name by video message to more than 1200 guests at the “Freddie for a Day” party at the Montreux Casino on Lake Geneva in Switzerland. Behind the venue is the band’s former studio where Queen recorded a host of songs, from Under Pressure with David Bowie to Who Wants To Live Forever?

Discovered in 1991 by the Belgian astronomer Henri Debehogne, the freshly-named asteroid swings around the sun at 20km per second. Its slightly elliptical orbit never comes closer than 350 million kilometres to Earth, meaning that the heavenly body called Freddiemercury poses no imminent danger to the planet.

The post Queen’s Brian May Announces the Naming of an Asteroid After Freddie Mercury: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/rf8Qtc8qsXI/

#AM_Equality News: September 6, 2016

THE LGBTQ VOTE IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH… writes Frank Bruni (@FrankBruni) for The New York Times. Across the country, voters are prioritizing candidates’ records on LGBTQ equality — as seen in races from Florida’s 7th Congressional District to the North Carolina’s gubernatorial campaign. On the power of the LGBTQ vote, JoDee Winterhof, HRC’s Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs, told Bruni it “really is a new day.” Read the full piece from The New York Times.

ICYMI–WHAT TRUMP WOULD MEAN FOR GLOBAL LGBTQ EQUALITY: Last week, HRC President Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) authored a piece for CNN on the enormous threat Donald Trump and Mike Pence pose to global LGBTQ equality. Over the last eight years, President Obama and Secretary Clinton helped make LGBTQ equality a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy — along with tremendous other administration officials from Ambassador Power to Ambassador Rice to Secretary Kerry. Come next January, all of that could change.

• Members of Congress call for LGBTQ protections in Turkey: “The Turkish government has a duty to protect all of its citizens regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity,” HRC Global’s Ty Cobb (@TyWesleyCobb) tells Voice of America.

TX AG PAXTON JOCKEYING FOR 1ST PLACE IN ANTI-TRANS DISCRIMINATION RACE: Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has jumped into the legal battle over North Carolina’s discriminatory, anti-LGBTQ law, HB2. Paxton and 10 other state attorneys general have urged U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Schroeder to pause the proceedings of a pending U.S. Justice Department challenge to HB2 so that other cases can be heard and resolved first. More from HRC.

• Shameful: A Texas business owner purchased full-page ad promoting his professional discrimination against LGBTQ Texans last week. More from KTRE.

TUESDAY TWEET: H/T to News & Observer reporter Colin Campbell (@RaleighReporter) for sharing equality advocate Montel Williams’ disgust at having his image used used in a re-election ad for anti-LGBTQ North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory. According to Williams’ spokesman Jonathan Franks, the incident could result in “a very expensive headache for Lyin’ Pat.”

Looks like former talk show host @Montel_Williams was none too thrilled about seeing his face in a McCrory ad #ncpol pic.twitter.com/J3my5mSocO

— Colin Campbell (@RaleighReporter) September 2, 2016

MIKE PENCE, THEN AND NOW — THE FACE OF ANTI-LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION: Right Wing Watch reminded us last week that Mike Pence has always been the face of anti-LGBTQ discrimination, highlighting a piece the GOP vice presidential nominee wrote lamenting the “AIDS activists” who spoke at the 1996 RNC. The same conservative journal, which was the official publication of the organization that Pence led, claimed that “gaydom” was a “pathological condition” that could slant journalists’ coverage. More here.

HRC VIDEO MUST WATCH — #ThisIsTransgender: In recent months, some anti-transgender politicians have been scratching their heads over what it means to be transgender. It’s pretty simple, says HRC in this new video showcasing actress Laverne Cox (@LaverneCox), teen author and HRC Youth Ambassador Jazz Jennings (@JazzJennings_), among other transgender advocates.

PULSE NIGHTCLUB HERO — A USMC VET — TO BE HONORED BY MILITARY ORG: The American Military Partner Association (@LGBTMilPartners) will honor Imran Yousuf at its West Coast Gala on Sept. 17. Yousuf, a Marine Corps veteran, saved more than 70 lives during the deadly Pulse Nightclub shooting in June. More from AMPA.

IN EMOTIONAL SPEECH, COLTON HAYNES ACCEPTS HRC AWARD: Teen Wolf and Arrow star Colton Haynes (@ColtonLHaynes) got emotional when he accepted an HRC Visibility Award during an event in Seattle. “I have experienced a lot of ‘Wow’ moments in my life, but I think tonight is probably topping all of them” said Haynes, honored for living an authentic life as an openly gay man. Watch his speech here.

#EQUALEVERYWHERE: HRC wants you to show your pride wherever you are. Speaking out against hate in the name of LGBTQ equality? Going on a global excursion? Running the Boston Marathon? Standing up as an ally for your loved one? Proclaiming your stance as a voter who believes #LoveTrumpsHate? Jumping out of a plane? Tag your post with #EqualEverywhere. We’ll be on the lookout, sharing the best posts across our platforms. More here.

PrEP APPROVED FOR EU MEMBER STATES: Last month, the European Commission approved the use of Truvada as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in all 28 European Union (EU) member states. This decision paves the way for a reduction in HIV transmission rates throughout Europe, as pharmaceuticals in the member states are regulated by the European Commission, as well as by national governments. More from HRC.

• Last week, the South African government announced they will provide free treatment to people living with HIV. More from Fox News.

READING RAINBOW

The Washington Post shares the story of Gavin Grimm, whose lawsuit to use the correct bathroom has sparked a national debate… BuzzFeed tells the story of a loving same-sex couple who almost lost custody of their children because of a rogue anti-LGBTQ judge… Grab a box of tissues and check out HRC’s new Dads for Trans Equality video series… and The Independent discusses the King of Norway’s powerful speech in favor of LGBTQ rights…

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-news-september-6-2016?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

HRC Holds Voter Mobilization Workshops in Texas

This year, HRC Equality Votes is undertaking an unprecedented national effort to mobilize pro-equality voters in key races up and down the ballot, including U.S. Congressional candidates in the Lone Star State.

On Monday, HRC joined volunteers in Houston, Texas, several of whom worked for months to mobilize thousands of voters in support of the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO). Although HERO failed to pass last November, the skills local advocates learned on the campaign will serve Houstonians well as they mobilize for pro-equality candidates in Texas. The residents of America’s fourth largest city know the stakes couldn’t be higher in November 2016.

Folks in Austin showed up Tuesday to the training in droves and ranged in advocacy experience from 30 years to 30 minutes. As the state’s capital, Austin participants had their eyes not only on the outcome November 8, but squarely on what this election will mean for state leadership and the upcoming 2017 Texas legislative session. Advocates cited 2015 as a big year for attempted anti-LGBT legislation and expressed the importance of building a strong team not just for November but as a base for the coming year. Their close-knit crew also kicked around ideas about volunteer vacations to battleground states as the election nears.

In Dallas-Fort Worth, volunteers had already participated in local phonebanks. This veteran crew of advocates and campaigners made plans to tap into pro-equality voters and maximize their impact at the ballot box.

Wrapping up the week in San Antonio, leaders met to plan for the November election season and explored ways to partner with other progressive groups in the area already working to mobilize voters. This included the local volunteer led group known as San Antonio for Hillary.

At HRC we know that elections matter. We’ve come too far to go back now and the stakes could not be higher for the LGBTQ community this election. That’s why we have aggressive plans to mobilize our members and supporters this fall and there is an important role for you in our effort. Click here to learn more about upcoming workshops in cities across the country.

For more information about our HRC Equality Votes workshops or volunteer opportunities in Texas, contact HRC’s Ryan Wilson, [email protected].  

www.hrc.org/blog/hrc-holds-voter-mobilization-workshops-in-texas?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Meet JR, a Dad for Transgender Equality

JR and his wife Vanessa have always been open about letting their children be who they are – and though they didn’t know it initially, they were also making an intuitive decision to fully support their transgender daughter.

JR noticed a change in Ellie when she was quite young and started asking about wearing nail polish and dresses to preschool. It wasn’t long before Ellie shared with her parents about how she truly felt on the inside.

“Right after her fourth birthday party that she said, ‘I’m a girl.’” JR recalled. “It wasn’t a mourning of what we perceived as our son, it was more of a ‘how do we support our daughter moving forward?’ Once she was able to tell us who she was, her personality and her demeanor did a 180. She completely blossomed.”

Despite having a happy-go-lucky five-year-old at home, JR worries about Ellie’s safety as she gets older. He discusses the importance of educating people, particularly school administrators and staff, about being accepting of and open to all people.

“It just presents another perspective to a person when they can associate a human being with an issue,” JR said. “To have Ellie kind of as a beacon in our family is really helpful for making our family tighter, making her community around her tighter. Every kid is different. Every kid is unique. It’s just for us to accept them and support them in every way. Listen to your kid.”

While JR and his family have become a vocal advocates for transgender youth, many LGBTQ young people lack crucial support from their families, and instead are rejected, leaving them at greater risk for homelessness, substance abuse, depression, and suicide. Up to 40 percent of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ.

Watch the video below to see the difference supportive dads can make in their transgender children’s lives. For more information on supporting and caring for transgender and gender-expansive children and youth, visit hrc.org/trans-youth.

Whether you identify as transgender or as an ally, join HRC’s #ThisIsTransgender social media campaign to share your story. Tag HRC on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and send your Snapchat snaps to WeAreHRC and include the hashtag #ThisIsTransgender.

www.hrc.org/blog/meet-jr-a-dad-for-transgender-equality?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

When a Gay Man's Only Porn Is a JC Penney Catalog (Video)

In this exclusive clip from the new film Other People, a gay man tells his ex a humorous story from his closeted youth.

www.advocate.com/film/2016/9/06/when-gay-mans-only-porn-jc-penney-catalog-video

Out Soccer Star Megan Rapinoe Kneels During National Anthem in Solidarity with Kaepernick

In solidarity with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s decision to remain seated during the national anthem to protest the oppression of people of color, out soccer star Megan Rapinoe supported the NFL star on Sunday by also refusing to stand.

Kaepernick remained seated during a preseason game against Green Bay and last week knelt before a game against the San Diego Chargers.

#USWNT star Megan Rapinoe kneels during the national anthem. “It’s the least I can do.” t.co/tjuDrd1ytO pic.twitter.com/1VLcU6mtnI

— Good Morning America (@GMA) September 5, 2016

Following that game he explained his actions to NFL Media:

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”

RELATED: Olympic Athletes are Being Taunted with Homophobic Slurs and It’s a Problem

On Sunday Rapinoe said:

“It was very intentional. It was a little nod to Kaepernick and everything that he’s standing for right now. I think it’s actually pretty disgusting the way he was treated and the way that a lot of the media has covered it and made it about something that it absolutely isn’t. We need to have a more thoughtful, two-sided conversation about racial issues in this country.

“Being a gay American, I know what it means to look at the flag and not have it protect all of your liberties. It was something small that I could do and something that I plan to keep doing in the future and hopefully spark some meaningful conversation around it. It’s important to have white people stand in support of people of color on this. We don’t need to be the leading voice, of course, but standing in support of them is something that’s really powerful.”

Kaepernick has since been accused of being unpatriotic. A video of 49ers fans burning a Kaepernick jersey emerged last week. On Saturday, the American Family Association tweeted that Kaepernick was breaking federal law as well as being unpatriotic. The hate group has also set up a petition asking the NFL to discipline Kaepernick.

Speaking during a news conference at the G20 in Hangzhou, China yesterday, President Obama said Kaepernick has “generated more conversation around some topics that need to be talked about.” Obama added he added he would rather have young people engaged in the argument than “people who are just sitting on the sidelines and not paying attention at all”.

Watch Obama’s full statement on the issue and a report on Rapinoe below.

(Image via Twitter)

The post Out Soccer Star Megan Rapinoe Kneels During National Anthem in Solidarity with Kaepernick appeared first on Towleroad.

feeds.towleroad.com/~r/towleroad/feed/~3/3t5SLRHLmXk/