A Muslim Rentboy Tells All

A Muslim rentboy, working under the pseudonym “Mohammed Ashfaq,” has written a provocative piece for The Spectator in which he dishes about sleeping with politicians and the unhurried ins-and-outs of his profession.

“I am gay and Muslim and I was an asylum seeker in this country,” he writes. “I came here because some of my gay friends were killed back home.”

Related: Forgotten 1967 Documentary About A Black Gay Hustler Is Hilarious And Heartbreaking

He was inspired to pen the piece in the wake of the Keith Vaz scandal, which saw the married British lawmaker step down from his position in light of accusations that he slept with male prostitutes and bought them drugs.

“I am not surprised that Keith Vaz has been caught sleeping with male hookers,” Ashfaq writes. “I’m one myself and so I know that overweight married Asians are our staple.”

We often joke that without Indians and-Middle Eastern guys, we’d all be broke. They are always married. I’ve always been sickened by the way they betray their wives, but they aren’t paying me for my judgment.

In the four years he’s been hustling, he’s had “hundreds of different and weird experiences” and has bedded a few politicians “from the House of Lords and the House of Commons.” They’re usually married and often have secret flats in London where they conduct their business transactions. One member of House of Lords isn’t so much interested in sex as wrestling, a “safe-sex habit he picked during the HIV panic if the 1980s.”

Related: “Little Joe” Dallesandro On Inspiring The Hustler Character In Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side”

Perhaps the most eyeopening revelation is the fact that “the work is often quite boring.” Sometimes his Johns are so high they don’t know what’s up. Or they bury their head in the pillow. It’s not unusual for him to start texting friends in the middle of sessions.

You have to sit around a lot waiting for bookings. Each morning I log on to the escort websites I use, then wait. Then at about 11 a.m. I get up and go to the gym. You have to drop everything at short notice when you get a booking, so it’s difficult to make plans.

Not that the job doesn’t have it’s perks. Besides getting to keep your nose out of the stultifying mainstream and rotting away behind a desk until you die of cancer, you could always wind up with quite a bit of money if you play your cards right.

“London is full of people with cash to burn,” he notes.

In fact, a fellow hustler was just handed £10,000 by one of his clients.

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#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: September 8, 2016

COMING TO DC THIS WEEKEND — A TALE OF TWO CAMPAIGNS: This weekend in the nation’s capital, the contrast between the Clinton and Trump campaigns will be on stark display. Democratic Vice Presidential candidate Tim Kaine and civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis will speak to a sold-out crowd at HRC’s National Dinner about the importance of LGBTQ equality. Less than two miles away, both Donald Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence, will be hitting the so-called Values Voters Summit to court some of the most anti-LGBTQ players in politics. As Washington Blade’s Chris Johnson (@ChrisJohnson82) reports, “In the course of one day, the Republican presidential nominee will demonstrate his commitment to social conservatives seeking to undermine LGBT rights while the Democratic vice presidential nominee will address a largely LGBT audience seeking to advance and protect those rights.” More from The Washington Blade.

DONALD TRUMP, “DISASTER-IN-CHIEF”: At last night’s “Commander-in-Chief Forum” on NBC, Donald Trump demonstrated yet again why he is unfit to lead our nation. The forum, which focused on national security, military affairs and veteran issues, showed why  all Americans — and not just LGBTQ Americans whose rights Trump has pledged to roll back — should fear the prospect of a Trump administration. Here’s a take from HRC’s Stephen Peters (@StephenPeters2), a Marine veteran and founder and president emeritus of the American Military Partner Association:  lowing

While Vladimir Putin & Kim Jong-un may be rooting for Donald Trump, I’m with Hillary. #ImWithHer #IAVAforum #NBCNewsForum

— Stephen Peters II (@stephenpeters2) September 8, 2016

DEJA VU… MCCRORY SPREADS MORE TRANSPHOBIC LIES:  Yesterday, North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory, who signed the state’s anti-LGBTQ HB2 law, is yet again lying about HB2 in an ad for his gubernatorial campaign, glossing over the fact that it puts transgender people in danger, prevents no safety risks and has been a disaster for the state’s economy and reputation. HRC-endorsed candidate Roy Cooper’s campaign blasted the falsehoods, reminding that, “[w]hile ‘on [McCrory’s] watch,’ North Carolina has lost the NBA All-Star Game, thousands of jobs, and hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue,” because of HB2. More from The News & Observer.

THROWBACK THURSDAY: On this day in 1975, Leonard Matlovich appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine in recognition of his work to end discrimination against LGBTQ people in the military. He was the first openly LGBTQ person to appear on the coveted cover of TIME. After being discharged from the Air Force, he became an HIV and AIDS advocate, and died in 1988. His iconic tombstone in the Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., reads, “When I was in the military, they gave me a medal for killing two men and a discharge for loving one.”

EVERYDAY CHALLENGES FACED BY LGBTQ TEENS: The New York Times’ Jenna Wortham (@JennyDeluxe) writes eloquently about how progress being made by the LGBTQ community can “create the illusion that as a society we are barreling toward a world of complete liberation, where everyone is truly free to be whoever they are.” It masks, she writes, the very real challenges faced daily by LGBTQ young people. Read today’s piece here.

AMERICAN MUSLIM CONVENTION HOLDS FIRST DISCUSSION OF LGBTQ ISSUES: More than 15,000 Muslims from across the U.S. and Canada gathered in Chicago over Labor Day Weekend for the 53rd Annual Convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the largest annual gathering of Muslims on the continent. For the first time, the convention included a panel discussion focusing on LGBTQ issues. More from HRC.

EQUALITY IN STONEYBROOK: In an interview with Vulture, Ann M. Martin, author of the beloved childhood book series, The Baby-Sitters Club, shared that she had a same-sex partner.

LEADING THE WAY FOR TRANS RIGHTS IN BOLIVIA: A new law in Bolivia has allowed activist Pamela Geraldine Valenzuela to become the country’s first transgender citizen to receive a correct identification card. “I wouldn’t let myself stop in my fight until I arrived at this moment, until the state recognized all transgender people in accordance with the identity that we have completely assumed,” she said. More from Reuters.

NETFLIX DEBUTS DOCUMENTARY SERIES ON GAY AMBASSADOR:  “I Am the Ambassador,” the Netflix series about U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, Rufus Gifford, has debuted. It documents the personal and professional life of Gifford, an HRC member,   passionate advocate for equality and one of eight openly gay American ambassadors. More from HRC.

READING RAINBOW

PBS Newshour interviews Rebecca Sugar, Cartoon Network’s first female creator, about writing LGBTQ stories for children… Jamaica Observer columnist Glenroy Murray celebrates Belize’s decision to decriminalize same-sex relationships and what means for the rest of the Caribbean… The Guardian talks about doctors’ struggles to treat transgender patients due to lack of experience and expertise… The Victory Fund shares 10 terrifying quotes from Minnesota’s “Mini-Trump” in BuzzFeed…

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!

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Bachelor On ‘Finding Prince Charming’ Shamed By Other Contestants For Flamboyance

Logo‘s “Finding Prince Charming” hasn’t even premiered yet and already it’s stirring up a lot of controversy. The latest development suggests that there may be some bachelors on the show struggling with internalized homophobia.

In the first episode, set to air tonight, the most effeminate of the contestants, 26-year-old beauty expert Robby, is mocked and ridiculed for his flamboyance, The Wrap reports.

Related: Robert Sepulvada, Jr. Addresses Escorting Past

The hostility appears as soon as the men enter the house they all share while bidding for the affections of bachelor Robert Sepulvada, Jr.:

“Let’s get this party started, bitches!” Robby shouts at his competitors. The camera pans to 31-year-old Sam, who looks disgusted at the shrieks and one-liners Robby brings to the group — to say nothing of the physical affection. Other contestants referred to his ‘energy’ and ‘larger-than-life’ personality.

‘I’ve never met anyone like Robby before, except for maybe in the theater,’ Sam says in a confessional segment. He seems mortified by Robby’s behavior, and incredulous that no one else openly shares his discomfort.

Sam then asks him if he always acts that way, before telling him to tone it down by saying, “Fix your dress!”

Related: Logo Says They Didn’t Know About Sepulvada’s Past

“I would never do anything that perpetuated stereotypes that I thought were destructive,” show creator Brian Graden told The Wrap. “What happened was the honest reaction and we thought it was important to explore.”

Watch the preview for tonight’s premiere episode below…

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Students Welcomed Back To School With Burned Pride Flag And A Note: “F*gs Get AIDS More Often”

Last year, the University of Tennessee’s Pride Center created a guide to pronouns preferred by some transgender students, including some they invented themselves: “ze, hir, and hirs.”

Since then, there have been ongoing incidents in strict opposition to the guide, which has since been withdrawn. Windows at the center have been smashed. Flags have been snatched several times. The letters “LGBT” are habitually scratched off the sign outside. The center was eventually defunded by state lawmakers and is now funded almost exclusively by donations and staffed by students.

Related: Was ‘Radical Queer’ Group Bash Back Behind HRC Building’s Vandalism?

“I felt the only way to move forward was pull the website,” said system president Joe DiPietro, who claimed it was the biggest controversy he’d seen since taking office in 2011.

Nevertheless, that clearly hasn’t calmed down detractors. Last weekend, the University of Tennessee’s Pride Center was vandalized yet again: the rainbow flag was torn down, and in it’s place, a hand-scrawled note was left behind: “Fags get AIDS more often. #ImWithHer.”

Related: Satanic Vandalism Appears On Dallas Gay Landmarks

Student Thomas Tran, who shared photos of the scene on the Pride Center’s Facebook Page, wrote, “Glad to see how welcoming this campus is coming back from a long weekend.”

All of this was found this morning. Someone decided to exercise their freedom of speech and left us a message after destroying our flag. This is what we are up against. This is the type of thing that will most likely get swept under the rug by administration who do not care for us.”

According to a Twitter statement from the university, campus police are looking into the incident:

@JoelAndersonPhD Incidents like this have no place on our campus. A bias incident report has been filed, and UTPD is investigating.

— UT Knoxville (@UTKnoxville) September 6, 2016

The Pride Center notes the date of the occurrence is significant:

This past weekend was the 1 year anniversary of #UTK removing the gender neutral pronouns article; today’s vandalism is the legacy of that.

— UTK Pride Center (@UTKPrideCenter) September 6, 2016

Here’s one of several messages posted to The Pride Center’s Facebook page:

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‘What is Aleppo?’ – Libertarian Candidate Gary Johnson Stuns MSNBC Hosts with Foreign Policy Fail: WATCH

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson stunned Morning Joe hosts when he was asked a question about Aleppo, and didn’t know what it was.

“What is Aleppo?”, Johnson asked.

“You’re kidding.”

“No.”

“Aleppo is in Syria. It’s the epicenter of the refugee crisis,” Mike Barnicle explained.

RELATED: Bloodied Young Boy Becomes Face of Suffering in Aleppo

Joe Scarborough then dove in: “You asked, ‘What is Aleppo?’ Do you really think that foreign policy is so insignificant that somebody running for president of the United States shouldn’t even know what Aleppo is, where Aleppo is, why Aleppo is so important?”

Watch:

Yesterday, Mitt Romney said he’d like to see Gary Johnson join the presidential debates:

Weld, another former Massachusetts governor, is Johnson’s running mate.

To earn an invitation to the first debate, Johnson, the former New Mexico governor, needs to score more than 15 percent on an average of five national polls the debate commission has picked as its criteria. The most recent surveys from the polls pegged Johnson’s average at 8.8 percent, down from 9.2 percent a week ago.

I hope voters get to see former GOP Governors Gary Johnson and Bill Weld on the debate stages this fall.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) September 7, 2016

The post ‘What is Aleppo?’ – Libertarian Candidate Gary Johnson Stuns MSNBC Hosts with Foreign Policy Fail: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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‘Summer Babes’ Hit the Beach at Fire Island Pines for Pinesfest: PHOTOS, VIDEO

The inaugural edition of Pinesfest, a music festival and fundraiser set on the beach in Fire Island Pines over Labor Day weekend had a rough start.

The event was created to celebrate the Pines community during three days of ten-hour-long parties with major headliners such as Australian singer (and gay-favorite) Betty Who, famed Italian DJ duo The Cube Guys, as well as beach workouts with Barry’s Bootcamp, TMPL Gym, and Swerve trainers.

Mean girl Hermine wasn’t invited but showed up, anyway; and she brought in a little drama with her. The messy storm that threatened to bring dangerous weather conditions to the Long Island coast led to a voluntary evacuation alert and some ferry cancelations.

Thankfully, Hermine got to the party a little late and only the final day of the event had to be canceled due to safety concerns.

“To ensure the safety of our guests, we were required to evacuate the beach yesterday evening. Programming scheduled for today, Monday, September 5, will be rescheduled for a future date, to be announced,” the event’s Facebook page noted.

But even with the hurricane threat, Pinesfest “hosted nearly a thousand guests and raised several thousand dollars for the two non-profit beneficiaries”, according to organizers. “The generous way the community embraced what we did here was rewarding and remarkable. The incredible artists, phenomenal food, DJs, Betty Who, a jousting bouncey bounce – neighbors and friends were out en masse to show their support for doing something unique, exciting and new,” said Pinesfest creator Greg Dyer.

Pinesfest benefitted The Hetrick Martin Institute, the nation’s oldest and largest non-profit agency dedicated to serving LGBTQ youth and The Fire Island Pines Seashore Defense Fund, a non-profit that helps protect the beaches of the Pines by providing emergency funding for immediate action, whenever it’s needed.

The first day, which celebrated the power of community and the beauty of charity went on as planned. And the season’s hottest men took over the dance floor — as women —  for Babes of Summer, the Labor Day Drag Party.

Drag was mandatory, hunty.

We were there to check things out. See what you missed below:

All photos by Daniel Handal.

Video by Muri Assunção/Towleroad

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Netflix Premieres Documentary Series About Rufus Gifford, Gay U.S. Ambassador to Denmark: WATCH

A Danish tv series about U.S. Ambassador to Denmark, Rufus Gifford has officially premiered on Netflix.

Originally airing in 2014, I Am the Ambassador follows the personal and professional life of Gifford, one of eight openly gay American ambassadors.

Wrote Gifford on Instagram:

“When @usembdenmark @rydhavestephen and I agreed to do a documentary series on @dr3tv over two years ago, I thought only a few thousand people would see it…. Well, today it premieres on @netflix in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and other countries. Never in my wildest dreams did I believe this would happen. And while I am incredibly nervous about the show being aired all over the world – especially in my home country – I believe in it with all my heart. Just as it has done in Denmark, I hope very much that it will serve as a vehicle through which you learn a little about the US, a little about Denmark, a little about diplomacy and the unique bond between people and nations. And hopefully make you smile and laugh a little along the way. Most of all I hope you enjoy… Enormous thanks to all who believed in the project and made it happen.”

RELATED: U.S. Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford Marries Stephen DeVincent in Copenhagen

Check out the show here and watch a PBS report on Gifford below.

The post Netflix Premieres Documentary Series About Rufus Gifford, Gay U.S. Ambassador to Denmark: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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HRC Releases Star-Studded Lineup for the 20th Annual HRC National Dinner

Today, HRC announced the full lineup for the 20th annual HRC National Dinner set to take place this coming Saturday, September 10, 2016, in Washington, DC. Grammy and Tony Award-winning artist Billy Porter and Grammy Award-winning artist Estelle will perform. Special guests include Samira Wiley, star of Orange is the New Black; Nyle DiMarco, winner of America’s Next Top Model and Dancing With the Stars; author and transgender advocate Tina Madison White; comedian and LGBTQ equality advocate Dana Goldberg; and many others. As previously announced, Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Senator Tim Kaine will deliver the keynote address, and Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) will speak at the sold out event.

“Vice Presidential Nominee Tim Kaine has spent his entire career fighting for the equal rights of all Americans,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “As part of the most pro-equality presidential ticket in American history, Tim Kaine will help ensure another four years of unprecedented progress for LGBTQ equality in this country and around the world.”

“Representative John Lewis is an American hero, and his lifelong work for the civil rights of all people has transformed our nation. In his nearly three decades on Capitol Hill, Representative Lewis has been one of the strongest and most outspoken champions of LGBTQ equality,” Griffin continued. “With all the progress we have made under President Obama, Tim Kaine and John Lewis will remind all of us just how important it is that we fight to elect a President who will champion LGBTQ equality every single day she sits in the Oval Office. We are honored to welcome them both to our 20th annual National Dinner.”

“We are honored to welcome an incredibly talented group of artists who have used their platforms to move equality forward and help change the lives of LGBTQ people for the better,” added Griffin. “With performances by Billy Porter and Estelle, and the opportunity to hear from Samira Wiley, Nyle DiMarco, and many others, this year’s HRC National Dinner will no doubt be an inspirational evening as we continue our fight for full LGBTQ equality.”

Billy Porter is a Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer, composer, actor, playwright and director. Among his numerous critically-acclaimed roles, Porter starred as “Lola” in the smash hit Broadway musical Kinky Boots, for which he won the 2013 Drama Desk and Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical. Porter told OUT Magazine, “There are many parallels between Lola and myself — mainly the idea of being an outsider and holding on to who you are. I think the joy and the pleasure of Kinky Boots is that it transcends sexuality, it transcends stereotypes, and it transcends fear, which I think motivates a lot of the bigotry and homophobia that exists in the world. It’s nice to reach people at a human level.”

Estelle has received widespread critical acclaim and numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for “American Boy” with Kanye West, two Brit Award nominations, three MOBO Awards, and a World Music Award. She refuses to let barriers hold her back, and relates to the LGBTQ community through her own challenges and experiences she’s faced. According to one interview, “She feels her own encounters with harsh judgment have provided a special understanding of similar experiences faced by the LGBT community…and anyone who has ‘been told they can’t.’”

Known for her starring roles in Orange is the New Black and You’re the Worst, Samira Wiley attended theater and arts programs at Howard University in DC at a young age and went on to graduate from the prestigious Juilliard School. Wiley was awarded the HRC Visibility Award at the 2015 HRC North Carolina Gala. Speaking to the power of being publicly out and visible as an LGBTQ person, Wiley said, “Over the past few years since my own public image has increased tenfold, I have been overwhelmed to witness the profound ways that I am able to make a difference simply by living my life openly, and with love.”

Nyle DiMarco is the first Deaf person to win America’s Next Top Model Cycle 22 and Dancing With The Stars Season 22. As a founder of Nyle DiMarco Foundation and an honorary spokesman for Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids, DiMarco is passionate about language and literacy and advocacy within the Deaf Community. Last year, DiMarco came out publicly as sexually fluid to his followers on Twitter.

Author and activist Tina White built a career transforming businesses. A few years ago, she embarked on her most ambitious transformation project yet: herself. Her book,Between Shadow and Sun, describes her 50-year struggle to find her place in the world as a man, then her struggle to accept herself as a woman. Since coming out, Tina has become a vocal advocate for transgender people and their rights.

The 20th annual HRC National Dinner is expected to draw more than 3,600 guests. More information is available at www.hrcnationaldinner.org.

Due to limited space, all members of the media who would like to cover the event must pre-register by noon today, Thursday, September 8, 2016. To request media credentials, please contact Stephen Peters at [email protected]. Only members of the media who have been credentialed in advance for this event will be allowed entrance. Further logistics and coverage details will be forthcoming to credentialed media.

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