Monogamy Is Making A Comeback Among Younger Gay Couples, Study Finds

After all this talk of open relationships and polyamorous love, a new study has just found that younger gay couples are trending toward monogamy once again. At least, according to a new study.

The study, titled “Choices: Perspectives of Younger Gay Men on Monogamy, Non-monogamy and Marriage,” was conduced by researchers Blake Spears and Lanz Lowen. They surveyed over 800 single, monogamously-coupled, and non-monogamously coupled gay men ages 18-40 years about their relationships. A handful of “monogamish” men were also interviewed.

Related: Study: Gay Men Are Figuring Out How To Make Open Relationships Work

“The most striking finding of this study is younger gay men’s greater inclination toward monogamy,” the researchers report. “We see this in the overwhelming number of relationships that are monogamous (86 percent). In addition, 90 percent of the single younger gay men were seeking monogamy. This is a sea change compared to older generations of gay men.”

Researchers also report that “the notion of ‘monogamish’ appears to be increasing, particularly as couples are together for longer periods of time. … 75 percent of our 45 ‘monogamish’ respondents reported mostly having three-ways and always playing together as a couple. A few couples mentioned sex parties and bathhouses, but were clear they always played together.”

In addition to that, the researchers noticed what they call a “dis-owning of the notion of ‘open relationships’ which younger gay men assume are wide open, whatever goes, relationships. Open relationships are associated with previous generations of gay men and are viewed as part of the previous gay culture that is no longer necessary.”

Related: Don’t Knock It Till You Try It: A Case For Polyamorous Love

So what exactly is the takeaway from all this?

A few things.

First, researchers say, “despite the myths and horror stories, both monogamous and non-monogamous couples can have enduring, healthy and happy relationships.” But not just that, they say, they can have “have enduring, satisfying sex lives within their primary relationship.”

“Oddly, we heard both monogamous and non-monogamous respondents complaining of the lack of support for their respective relationships,” the researchers conclude. “To the degree monogamy and non-monogamy can be more fully discussed in the community, the better. … As a community, let’s stop proselytizing our preference as ‘the right way’ and demonizing that which we don’t embrace. We need to create norms in the community, where both monogamy and non-monogamy can be rationally discussed and considered.”

Related: Here’s How Americans Feel About Open Relationships And Sex Parties

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Ryan Gosling, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Zac Efron, Norman Reedus and Other Celebrities Read Mean Tweets: WATCH

Hugh Grant, Kate Hudson, Greg Kinnear, Melissa McCarthy, Chris Evans, Jane Lynch, Norman Reedus, Margot Robbie, Anthony Mackie, Judd Apatow, Olivia Wilde, Paul Rudd, Ryan Gosling, Zac Efron, Wanda Sykes, Russell Crowe, Bryan Cranston and Kiefer Sutherland are in for the 10th edition of Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘Celebrities Read Mean Tweets’.

Find out whose forehead is as big as a butt cheek, who is as appealing as closing a scrotum in a DVD case, who is looking forward to fisting someone with two arms and a leg, and who has a bigger dick than Ultimate Warrior.

Watch:

The post Ryan Gosling, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Zac Efron, Norman Reedus and Other Celebrities Read Mean Tweets: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Ryan Gosling, Jane Lynch, Wanda Sykes, Zac Efron, Norman Reedus and Other Celebrities Read Mean Tweets: WATCH

Hillary Clinton Grilled by Zach Galifianakis for Between Two Ferns: WATCH

Hillary Clinton sat down with Zach Galifianakis for a new episode of his hilarious talk show Between Two Ferns, which she reportedly taped on the day she was diagnosed with pneumonia.

“I really regret doing this,” Clinton says at one point.

Clinton is gloriously deadpan as she receives Galifianakis’ probing, “really out of date” questions throughout the interview.

“Are you excited to be the first girl president?…Not to take away from the historic significance of you perhaps becoming the first female president, but for a younger, younger generation, you will also become their first white president, and that’s pretty neat too.”

“What happens if you become pregnant? Are we gonna be stuck with Tim Kaine for 9 months?”

“When you see how well it works for Donald Trump, do you ever think to yourself, maybe I should be more racist?”

“Have you thought about what you’re going to be wearing at the debates?

Also, Trump’s white power tie, his bowels, and his steaks, which according to Galifianakis, are “a good cut of meat.”

“I think it’s part of the asshole.”

Watch:

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Hillary Clinton Grilled by Zach Galifianakis for Between Two Ferns: WATCH

Highlights from 2016 US Conference on AIDS

Last week, HRC joined more than 3,000 activists, advocates, and researchers in Hollywood, Florida for the 20th annual U.S. Conference on AIDS (USCA). Organized every year by NMAC, formerly the National Minority AIDS Council, USCA brings people together to gain new skills and insights for combating the domestic HIV and AIDS epidemic.

This year, HRC was proud to join NMAC on their Leadership Pipeline initiative, which seeks to cultivate the next generation of young people working in the fields of HIV prevention, treatment, and care. HRC led a session on public speaking for NMAC’s Youth Scholars and a session on engaging young people for NMAC’s Social Media Fellows. The conference concluded with HRC Senior Program Specialist Noël Gordon Jr. giving a talk about the need to harness the momentum behind Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to expand treatment options for people living with HIV.

Take a look at highlights from this year’s conference through the eyes of our HIV 360° Fellows, a program made possible through the support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, who were on the ground in Florida last week:

Nicole Elinoff, HRC HIV 360° Fellow, Florida

The convos about #sex and #HIV often go towards #risk and not #pleasure. It’s time to change up the conversation #SexPositivity #2016USCA

— Nicole Elinoff (@nellienoff) September 15, 2016

Lee Storrow, HRC HIV 360° Fellow, North Carolina

Limited access to housing & education + stigma leads to higher rate of HIV amongst the trans community in #PuertoRico. #2016USCA

— Lee Storrow (@leestorrow) September 17, 2016

Nicole Elinoff, HRCHIV 360° Fellow, Florida

Here at the Black Gay Men, #HIV and the Black Church. “we need to find healing, so we can heal together” – @mharris3216

— Nicole Elinoff (@nellienoff) September 17, 2016

Noel Gordon, Senior Program Specialist, HIV Prevention & Health Equity, District of Columbia

So honored to be part of @thechangeproj‘s #IAMHIV campaign! #HIV360 #2016USCA pic.twitter.com/OnqkRHIwtJ

— Noel Gordon Jr. (@noelgordon09) September 15, 2016

Sasanka Jinadasa, HRC HIV 360° Fellow, District of Columbia

Ending #AIDS is a social justice problem. @MHarrisPerry #2016USCA #USCASMF16

— Sasanka Jinadasa (@lankanfeminist) September 16, 2016

Lee Storrow, HRC HIV 360° Fellow, North Carolina

Heading home from #2016USCA. Inspired and ready to go. The struggle continues.

— Lee Storrow (@leestorrow) September 18, 2016

www.hrc.org/blog/highlights-from-2016-us-conference-on-aids?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: September 22, 2016

#CHARLOTTE PROTEST: Following the killing of 43-year-old Keith Lamont Scott, who was fatally shot Tuesday by a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer, Charlotte saw its second night of unrest. Protesters are responding to distrust and uncertainties that remain around Scott’s death, as well as the fatal shooting Friday night in Tulsa of unarmed 40-year-old Terence Crutcher by a police officer, and an epidemic of Black men and women dying at the hands of law enforcement. While some protests have been peaceful, others have turned violent and a number of individuals have been wounded over the last two nights.

Standing with our brothers & sisters seeking both peace and justice in #Charlotte.

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) September 22, 2016

WHY CHARLOTTE MUST STAY THE COURSE ON ITS NDO: HRC President Chad Griffin and Equality NC Executive Director Chris Sgro penned an op-ed in The News & Observer yesterday to discuss the many disastrous effects HB2 has had on North Carolinians, the North Carolina economy, and Governor Pat McCrory’s approval ratings. They write, “If McCrory wants to win back voters and show real leadership, it’s clear he must stop weak attempts to misdirect attention, work with legislative leadership and call a special session to repeal HB2. Only then can he begin to repair the damage he has caused to the state he was elected to lead.”

• After planting his own staff in the audience at a Rotary Club event on Tuesday to ask questions, McCrory went out of his way to lie to his constituents about a meeting between himself, Chad Griffin, Chris Sgro and community advocate Candis Cox. Watch here.

AND WE’RE NOT THE ONLY ONES THINKING IT: Publications from across North Carolina and nationally are fed up with Pat McCrory’s lies. Here’s a roundup of  this week’s editorials and opinion pieces on HB2:

• “Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina has some nerve.” — The New York Times editorial board, “North Carolina pays a price for bigotry”
• “That’s why the guilty were trying so hard to induce the victim to confess to the crime. The victim wasn’t having it, and its response was the right one: There’s a clear way out of this mess, and the job of getting us out belongs to the people who got us stuck there in the first place.” — Charlotte Magazine’s Greg Lacour (@GregLacour), “On ordinance repeal, Charlotte passes”
• “By any objective measure, North Carolina’s anti-LGBT law, HB2, has been a complete disaster for the state.” — The Huffington Post’s Jen Bendery (@JBendery), “Pat McCrory’s utterly absurd excuse for not repealing HB2”
• “Yes, a ‘reset’ has an appealing ring to it. But it would be a step backward, both symbolically and practically. Would Charlotte be any closer to the protections it wants to offer? No. Would it get a football and basketball event back? Maybe. Are those events worth selling out the LGBT community? We believe the answer is no.” — The Charlotte Observer’s editorial board, “City Council shouldn’t sell out Charlotte’s LGBT community”
• “Good for her. Good for Charlotte. And good for the cause of civil rights.” — The News and Observer editorial board, “Charlotte Mayor Roberts is right on HB2”
• “Gov. Pat McCrory and state leaders tell us HB2 has not hurt the North Carolina economy. Did they ask the dozens of communities, hundreds of businesses and thousands of workers in North Carolina that have lost work and tens of millions at the hands of the LGBT bashing legislation what they think? Obviously not.” — WRAL’s editorial board, “NO DEALS: Legislature and McCrory should repeal HB2 – period”

NORTH CAROLINIANS ARE FED UP TOO: Public Policy Polling released data yesterday showing that, by an 11 point margin, voters say McCrory’s handling of HB2 makes them less likely to support him. And The Washington Post shares that 30 percent of those polled think Governor McCrory will be re-elected on November 8.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: Check out this infographic from 2011 on President Obama’s accomplishments for the LGBTQ community — highlighting just the first few of a long list of major milestones over the past eight years. Of those mentioned include “signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law,” “banned discrimination in federal workplaces based on gender identity,” “led a United Nations measure to restore ‘sexual orientation’ to the definition of human rights” and “addressed the annual Human Rights Campaign dinner for a second time.” #ThanksObama

FED JUDGE RULES IN TRANS STUDENT DISCRIMINATION CASE: A judge has granted a preliminary injunction in a court case, legally requiring the Kenosha Unified School District to halt its discriminatory practices against a transgender student. The student, Ash Whitaker filed a federal lawsuit against the Kenosha Unified School District for denying Ash access to the facilities consistent with his gender identity, using Ash’s birth name and female pronouns, isolating Ash from his peers on overnight school trips and a proposed policy to require transgender students to wear green wristbands or stickers. More from FOX 6 News.

HRC ANNOUNCES HBCU ADVISORY COUNCIL: Yesterday, HRC announced the inaugural members of a National Advisory Council that will work with HRC’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Project. In conjunction with the announcement, HRC’s HBCU Project is also launching a new partnership with The Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions at the University of Pennsylvania to establish national benchmarks and best practices for HBCUs on LGBTQ inclusion. More from HRC.

WEDDING BELLS IN GUERNSEY: The States of Guernsey voted yesterday to bring marriage equality to the Channel Island. North Ireland is now the only part of the British Isles that does not have marriage equality. More from BuzzFeed.

• Meanwhile, about 1,700 miles (or about 2,700 km) to the west… Romania’s Constitutional Court again postponed a ruling on a petition to recognize same-sex marriage. More from The Washington Post.

READING RAINBOW
Indy Week takes a look at North Carolina’s transgender Latina community… DC Comics is releasing a comic book to honor the victims of the Orlando shooting, proceeds to benefit Equality Florida… 

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-september-22-2016?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

The Bi Writers Association to host Bi Visibility Open Mic in NYC this Friday

www.glaad.org/blog/bi-writers-association-host-bi-visibility-open-mic-nyc-friday

Russia Blocks Its Most Popular Gay Site

www.advocate.com/world/2016/9/22/russia-blocks-its-most-popular-gay-site

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against North Carolina's Same-Sex Marriage Opt-Out Law (Video)

www.advocate.com/marriage-equality/2016/9/22/judge-dismisses-lawsuit-against-north-carolinas-same-sex-marriage-opt

ACLU Wants Kim Davis To Pay Up. Big Time.

You probably thought you’d seen the last of her. No such luck. The ACLU isn’t done with Kim Davis yet.

The latest plot twist in Kim’s sordid tale is a filing by the ACLU, requesting over a quarter million dollars in recouped legal fees. They spent a ton of money defending the right of same-sex couples to marry, and now the law entitles them to recover those expenses.

Civil rights cases are special in that the winner can recoup what they spent from the loser. It’s a measure intended to discourage rights violations by government officials.

Kim would not personally be on the hook for the payout — it’s unclear who would be, but it’s likely to be the county that she works for. Maybe something for voters to keep in mind next time they go to the polls. Put a homophobic person who violates the law in office, and you could be on the hook for all the pointless litigation they cause.

There’s a lot of procedural legal back-and-forth that will need to follow this filing. Questions of who has to pay and who doesn’t depend on the way in which the case was dismissed, and the parties’ changing relationships with each other. It’ll likely be many months before we get a ruling, and even longer before the ACLU gets any money — if any.

Ultimately, of course, the law was changed in Kentucky and Kim Davis could no longer make a fuss about being forced to violate whatever conscience she has. At that point, she was no longer useful to the right-wing politicians who were using her to support their own careers, and she’s been largely ignored — as she should be. Would it be funny if her lasting impact was a big payout to the ACLU.

www.queerty.com/aclu-wants-kim-davis-pay-big-time-20160922?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29