Police Looking for Man Spotted Outside Pulse Gunman's Mosque Following Arson (Video)
Daily Archives: September 12, 2016
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Oklahoma Rain
BREAKING: NCAA Moves All Championship Events Out of North Carolina Over Anti-LGBTQ HB2 Law
BREAKING: NCAA Moves All Championship Events Out of North Carolina Over Anti-LGBTQ HB2 Law
Today, HRC and Equality NC, the statewide organization working to secure equal rights and justice for LGBTQ North Carolinians, hailed the NCAA’s decision to stand up for LGBTQ equality by moving all 2016-2017 championship events out of the state of North Carolina due to the anti-LGBTQ HB2 law. In their decision for the move, the NCAA cited their commitment to an “inclusive atmosphere for all college athletes, coaches, administrators and fans.”
“The NCAA just sent a clear message to North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory and state lawmakers that it will not tolerate hateful laws targeting student athletes, fans, and employees,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Every day that HB2 remains on the books, countless people across North Carolina are at risk of real harm. NCAA President Mark Emmert has shown tremendous leadership by taking a bold stand for equality in the face of discrimination. It’s long past time state lawmakers repealed this vile law, and if they don’t, the majority of voters opposed to HB2 will ensure they pay the price in November.”
“The hits keep coming thanks to Governor McCrory and the General Assembly leadership,” said Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro. “From Charlotte to Greensboro to Raleigh and everywhere in between, it has become clear that the shadow HB2 has cast on North Carolina is hurting our economy, our reputation, and our people every day. Pat McCrory clearly knew that signing HB2 would not just endanger LGBT North Carolinians, but would cost us business, tourism, and events like this. The answer: we must repeal HB2 and we must have real leadership in the Governor’s office in 2017.”
Prior to today’s decision, the NCAA had previously announced that North Carolina cities no longer qualified to host NCAA events because HB2 ripped away any local LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination laws. The NCAA’s announcement today follows the NBA’s recent decision to move the 2017 All-Star Game out of the state because of HB2, costing North Carolina an estimated 100 million dollars in All-Star Game related profits. Citing the hostile environment created by the anti-LGBTQ law, and after repeated warnings the league would move the event if the law remained on the books, the NBA announced it was moving the game out of Charlotte after state lawmakers failed to repeal the measure.
Recognizing the importance of creating a positive and conducive environment for business, in February, the Charlotte City Council passed city-wide non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people. While city leaders sent a clear message that discrimination has no place in Charlotte, in response, Gov. McCrory and state lawmakers rammed HB2 into law and doubled down on discrimination.
The North Carolina General Assembly adjourned its short session in July after refusing to repeal HB2, and it is not scheduled to reconvene until January — leaving tens of thousands of people at risk for discrimination and harm over the months to come. Lawmakers made only one tweak to the deeply discriminatory law, restoring the right to sue in state court based on the limited number of characteristics that already were protected by state law. Despite widespread opposition to HB2, the General Assembly has been unwilling to even consider repealing the substance of the discriminatory law, including its ban on transgender people accessing restrooms consistent with their gender identity in government offices and schools, and its removal of municipalities’ ability to pass LGBTQ-inclusive nondiscrimination laws and minimum wage ordinances.
The economic fallout from HB2 continues to mount as companies concerned with protecting their consumers and employees have moved conventions, trainings, operations, and productions out of state. In the more than five months since Gov. McCrory and state lawmakers rammed HB2 into law, the outcry has continued to grow:
- More than 200 major CEOs and business leaders signed an open letter calling for full repeal of HB2 — including many of North Carolina’s largest employers.
- Major film studios and corporations, from PayPal to Deutsche Bank, have stopped investments in the state because of the new law’s threat to employees and consumers. Conventions have withdrawn from the state, taking substantial revenue with them. Prior to the NBA and NCAA decisions, the Tar Heel State had already taken a hit of at least $329.9 million in lost business, and in taxpayer money used to defend the measure — including funding Gov. Pat McCrory’s road trips to explain why he signed discrimination into law.
- Artists including Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen, Dead & Company, and Cyndi Lauper have spoken out.
- In May, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit in federal court, stating that HB2’s state-mandated discrimination against transgender people, including government workers and students, violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Violence Against Women Act of 2011.
- Joined by 68 major companies, HRC filed an amicus brief in support of DOJ’s effort to block some of the most egregious and discriminatory components of HB2.
- Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski called the bill “embarrassing” and North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried said it “appalled” and “embarrassed” him.
Patricia Arquette on What Really Ended Sister Alexis's Career
Patricia Arquette on What Really Ended Sister Alexis's Career
After her sister died — of an AIDS-related illness, according to People — Patricia Arquette pens a heartfelt message on Facebook.
www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/9/12/patricia-arquette-what-really-ended-sister-alexiss-career
Tandi Andrews
6 Reasons We Love Colin Kaepernick (Other Than His Tats)
6 Reasons We Love Colin Kaepernick (Other Than His Tats)
Colin Kaepernick–now the $11 million per year backup quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers–will likely not see any action in tonight’s Monday Night Football nationally televised matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Yet he’ll surely receive attention for the position he takes during the national anthem by kneeling to protest police brutality against African-Americans.
In honor of his cause and courage, here are five reasons we love Colin Kaepernick:
1. He’s bucking the trend of apolitical athletes
Major team sports athletes have traditionally shied away from speaking out on behalf of causes, for legit reasons and otherwise. Sometimes they fear the distraction it can cause for their own performance and their teammates. (Gay athletes have even used that as a reason not to come out during their careers.) Kaepernick, who is no longer expected to lead a great team, has a little more freedom in this regard but still must tread carefully. The other reason is athletes fear pissing off half the population and losing sponsorships. When your salary is ten million plus per year, it’s not a huge risk but still one that few have been willing to take. Remember when Michael Jordan refused to condemn the toxic Jesse Helms?
2. He’s supporting Black Lives Matters
The street protest group has not always received respect from the liberal establishment, which sees it as overly confrontational. Kaep’s stance is loosening that caution and also inspiring other big name athletes to follow suit. Even the 49ers owner, Jed York, opened his wallet to the tune of $1 million to help the cause. (Kaep is also tossing in his first $1 million in salary.)
3. He pals around with gay celebs
He was spotted hanging out with gay curcuit DJ Luis Perez (above), leading to rumors the two were dating. (Sorry boys: They were not.)
4. In his prime, he was actually a great quarterback
Trilling his San Francisco LGBTQ fan base, Kaep led the 49ers all the way to the SuperBowl in 2013, only losing to the Seattle Seahawks on the very last play.
5. He stripped for ESPN’s Body Issue
6. He pisses off the right-wing
Fox News hates him, the sign of righteousness for just about any cause.
feedproxy.google.com/~r/queerty2/~3/MGx45OxlOV8/6-reasons-love-colin-kaepernick-tats-20160912
Mike Pence, 50 Shades Darker, Occidental College, HMS Terror, Gay Soccer Player, Taylor Kinney: HOT LINKS
Mike Pence, 50 Shades Darker, Occidental College, HMS Terror, Gay Soccer Player, Taylor Kinney: HOT LINKS
CLIMATE CHANGE. Oceans are absorbing almost all of the earth’s excess heat: “The oceans act as Earth’s enormous heat sponge, sheltering continents and the people who live on them from atmospheric extremes. The near-surface ocean takes only decades to warm in response to elevated greenhouse gas concentrations, but the deep ocean will take centuries to millenniums, raising sea level all the while. In the meantime, warmer ocean temperatures may also increase the destructive potential of extreme weather, like cyclones and hurricanes.”
FIRST LOOK. Teen Wolf / Maze Runner star Dylan O’Brien in American Assassin.
MALE MODEL MONDAY. Johan Bruinsma.
DEPLORABLES. Audio of Trump campaign manager Kellyanne Conway appears to show that she also thinks some of Trump’s supporters are rather “nasty.” Trump meanwhile says that Hillary should quit the campaign because she hasn’t recanted her remark about ‘deplorables.’
STAND BY YOUR MAN. Trump’s VP pick Mike Pence won’t say that the former Grand Wizard of the KKK David Duke is “deplorable” because he’s “not a name caller.”
Mike Pence doubles down, won’t call David Duke “deplorable” because “i’m not a name caller, I don’t play that game”: pic.twitter.com/KSYw4K1WSv
— Brendan Karet (@SpideyScouting) September 12, 2016
PERFECT ILLUSION. Lady Gaga says the song is not about Taylor Kinney: “I would never use my song or want to use the public to hurt anyone that I love so much.”
CHELSEA MANNING. The imprisoned whistleblower starts hunger strike, says she is bullied in prison: “The former army intelligence analyst released a statement on Friday in which she gave an impassioned explanation for why she had taken the decision to stop consuming any food or fluids other than water and prescribed medicines. She said she had reached the decision after six years of military confinement in five difference locations during which her appeals for help had been ‘ignored, delayed, mocked, given trinkets and lip service by the prison, the military, and this administration.’”
MODERN CELEBRITY. Miley Cyrus is over the red carpet because it feels like a skit out of Zoolander.
SOCIAL MEDIA. German football (soccer) player comes out as gay on Reddit (allegedly) but won’t reveal his identity: “The anonymous player, who plies his trade in the German Third Division, revealed a handful of details about himself, including his age (20 years old) and wage (€9,000 per month, or around £7,600) – and used the Q&A-style ‘AMA’ thread to answer some questions from users about his life.”
HMS TERROR. Sunken ship found in the Arctic 168 years after failed attempt at discovering the Northwest Passage: “The long-lost ship of British polar explorer Sir John Franklin, HMS Terror, has been found in pristine condition at the bottom of an Arctic bay, researchers have said, in a discovery that challenges the accepted history behind one of polar exploration’s deepest mysteries.”
9/11. Memorial at Occidental College in California to honor victims of the terrorist attack vandalized: “Nearly 3,000 flags planted around Occidental College to remember the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks were trashed, prompting questions and outrage on the campus. The incident was followed by a flurry of statements by student groups at the Eagle Rock campus as well as a vow by university administrators to investigate what happened.”
MOVIES. Fifty Shades Darker gets new teaser ahead of full trailer being launched tomorrow.
MISTER MONDAY. Alxez.
The post Mike Pence, 50 Shades Darker, Occidental College, HMS Terror, Gay Soccer Player, Taylor Kinney: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad.
Colby Keller On ‘High Maintenance,’ A Mysterious ‘Horror’ And More TV This Week
Colby Keller On ‘High Maintenance,’ A Mysterious ‘Horror’ And More TV This Week
Check out our weekly guide to TV this week, and make sure you’re catching the big premieres, crucial episodes and the stuff you won’t admit you watch when no one’s looking.
National embarrassments Rick Perry and Ryan Lochte are two of the stars tangoing for a shot at the disco ball trophy on this season of Dancing With the Stars, premiering tonight at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Your guess is as good as ours as to what this season of American Horror Story will be focusing on. We’ll still put our money on the show stuffing too many plots into one season and then running off the rails roughly around episode five. The new tale brings all the good, the bad and the wildly distasteful starting Wednesday at 10 p.m. Eastern on FX.
Get ready to turn it out, make it work and, most importantly, don’t bore Nina when season 15 of Project Runway bows Thursday at 8 p.m. on Lifetime.
The stellar webseries High Maintenance gets a shot at premium cable with the premiere of the first of six 30-minute episodes Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern on HBO. The series follows a nameless marijuana dealer in Brooklyn and the stories of his unique customers. Friday’s premiere features appearances from gay porn star Colby Keller, RuPaul’s Drag Race season nine winner Bob the Drag Queen and Kevin Allison.
The stars of the small screen come out Sunday for the Emmy Awards, 8 p.m. on Fox. But! You should really tune in to the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, airing Saturday at 8 p.m. Eastern on FXX for the chance to see RuPaul win an Emmy Award for Outstanding Host.
What are you watching this week on TV?
The post Colby Keller On ‘High Maintenance,’ A Mysterious ‘Horror’ And More TV This Week appeared first on Towleroad.
Celebrating Alexis: Classic Clips of Arquette in Action – WATCH
Celebrating Alexis: Classic Clips of Arquette in Action – WATCH
News broke yesterday that pioneering transgender actress and media personality Alexis Arquette died surrounded by loved ones shortly after midnight on September 11th. The iconoclastic star was an early, vocal advocate for trans people and a striking presence on screen and in the clubs.
Alexis’ career differed from siblings David, Patricia and Rosanna’s, often feeling forced into gay and trans roles, or embracing a more campy aesthetic.
“I enjoy being a character actor, I enjoy being different in everything,” she told Index Magazine in 1999. “I want a private life, I want to be able to go to 7-11 and not get into a fight with a guy because he saw me in a movie, or not have people hitting on me simply because they saw me in a movie. You want to be wanted for who you are, not what you’ve done or who you’ve become, and it’s hard. And I’m sure some people think, ‘God, if I was famous or if I was an actor, I’d get laid all the time, boy would I use that.’ And I mean, I’ve had that opportunity and it really doesn’t make you feel good.”
The rebellious actress is no stranger to grabbing headlines with her no-nonsense approach to interviews and unapologetic spirit. She was always a fighter, and never settled.
RELATED – Actress Alexis Arquette Died of Complications Related to AIDS: REPORTS
In a 2010 interview with New Now Next, Arquette said the most important issue the LGBT community needs to be fighting for is “Don’t settle for anything less than 100% equality.”
Rest in power, Alexis.
Celebrate Alexis’ life and legacy in a few clips below.
Alexis’ first appearance on screen was in the music video for The Tubes’ “She’s A Beauty.” Alexis is the child riding the roller coaster. The video was directed by choreographer Kenny Ortega who went on to choreograph Dirty Dancing, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and High School Musical.
Technically, Alexis’ first film performance was an uncredited appearance in Down and Out In Beverly Hills, but she had a much beefier part in Last Exit to Brooklyn, playing a transvestite named Georgette.
Prior to transition, Alexis made a brief cameo in Quentin Tarantino’s beloved 1994 film Pulp Fiction. Check out her memorable scene above.
As an ode to one of pop’s biggest gender-benders, Boy George, Alexis paid homage in two Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore rom-coms. The first was as “George” in 1998’s The Wedding Singer , followed by “Georgina” in 2014’s Blended. Boy George even stopped his concert last night to acknowledge Alexis’ passing.
One of the genres Alexis seemed to specialize in were campy “splatter” horror films, like Children of the Corn Part 5 and Jack Be Nimble. She also had a memorable scene in Bride of Chucky, which you can see above.
Alexis’ work extended to the small screen as well, with stints on VH1’s The Surreal Life and appearances on Friends, Xena: Warrior Princess and even Roseanne.
She was always very public about her transition and speaking openly about trans issues, much before Time Magazine declared The Transgender Tipping Point in 2014. You can watch her patiently explain some of the trans experience in a CNN clip above. She also starred in a documentary about her own experience, Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother, which debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2007.
What’s your favorite Alexis Arquette role?
The post Celebrating Alexis: Classic Clips of Arquette in Action – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.
