“X Factor” Winner Goes Off On Homophobic Twitter Rant

Somebody might want to take away Steve Brookstein’s phone. The winner of a long-past season of X Factor has been a little careless with his words lately, and it’s hard to imagine he’ll say anything that can make it better.

Cast your mind back to 2004, a more innocent time when anything seemed possible. Steve was a winner of an early season of the X Factor talent show, and had a moment of fame before everyone forgot about him. Apparently, in the intervening decade, he’s been honing his skill as an internet troll, and he had one of his greatest hits last week.

Responding to a twitter conversation, Steve wrote, “oh look a bitchy homosexual. You don’t get many of those on Twitter.”

“Have a day off mate” the person responded — good advice!

“I have a theory about a bitchy queen gene that a few gay men have. I think you may have it,” Steve wrote back. Okay, Steve, whatever drama you’re grappling with in your life is clearly causing you some problems, so maybe go deal with that and then come back to Twitter once it’s resolved.

The last time Steve was in the news it was because of a similar Twitter meltdown: after someone criticized him, he called the person a pervert and accused them of liking small boys. “I don’t recommend people commit suicide – I just wouldn’t talk them out of it,” he wrote.

It’s hard to feel pity for a fallen star who behaves so poorly, and hard to feel much enthusiasm for Twitter as a platform where that kind of speech is par for the course.

www.queerty.com/x-factor-winner-goes-off-homophobic-twitter-rant-20161003?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

DJ/Producer Honey Dijon Spins Music Industry Right Round

Honey Dijon’s DJ/producer career has taken off globally the last few years at the nexus of NYC, techno and house, art, fashion, gender and sex liberation. Born and raised in Chicago, Dijon (nee Redmond) has made New York City her home for decades. It remains her rock though she spends the majority of her time with a full rotating schedule of DJ sets at top venues on three continents mixed with a few longer-stay residencies at famous clubs in Berlin, Ibiza and elsewhere.

“I knew i just wanted to make a living somehow connected to music,” she told us, explaining her drive. And why does she keep NYC as home base? It’s the inspiration, “the best of the best are still here.” That analysis could also describe the powerful entities hiring her for on-brand DJ work at shows and presentations, including fashion houses — Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Balenciaga, Givenchy — and one of the most blue-chip art brands MOMA, which hired her to play the opening party for their new building.

On the surface it seems obvious and easy for Honey Dijon to follow and work in the same migration House music did, from Chicago to mature in New York and then explode globally. But that’s not so easy. Somewhat ironically the unprecedented, exponential growth of electronic and dance music — perhaps too quickly — shoved it right into mainstream culture with an unhealthy majority of  industry executives, “top DJ” rankings, and, lucrative contracts being filled with mostly white, straight, male DJs. No one is saying these guys don’t belong. Just that they came late in the game to a set of sounds and parties established under significant black and queer influence for significantly black and gay audiences.

We caught up with Honey literally hours after she got off a plane from Berlin, in the hours before she was booked for a set at a Brooklyn club. We met at her studio/apartment in Chelsea and talked about her musical influences and mentors; how being a DJ is not just about the music, but also  “a great way to bring people from different cultures, backgrounds, sexual orientations to celebrate music in one place;” and about how she’s a bit bored with “the trans issue…and having to ask someone’s permission just to be here or to make them comfortable about the type of body that I have or who I choose to love.”

You can catch Honey spinning in the coming days and months if you live in San Francisco (tonight), Manhattan (Sunday), Dresden, Germany, Denver, Brooklyn, London, and Sydney, Australia. You can also check out out some of her sounds and sets through the Soundcloud widget below and can hear samples of and purchase tracks she’s produced and remixed through beatport.

This is the last of the four New York Stories, part of Towleroad’s AskTell Act series, with sponsorship by Lexus. And we’re really proud of this seasons participants, Illustrator Richard Haines, Peter Davis, a long-time chronicler of New York scenes, Julius Poole, a force in fashion casting and production, and now DJ/Producer Honey Dijon. And if you missed or loved the last season in Provincetown, have a look at the couple behind The Canteen (which has continued to rack up awards, and recently had the honor of cooking up a Cape Cod feast at the offices of Bon Appetit). Josh Patner is still presiding over the stage-right wing of the stage that is Commercial Street, the merchandise and windows a topic of loud conversation by tourists day and night. Rick Murray’s Crown and Anchor is still the axis of everything in town–whether that’s Lobster Mac and Cheese, the Independence Day week of DJ parties or Alan Cumming, Linda Eder, and other Broadway stars. And our own Andy Towle continues to draw inspiration from the town, the sunsets, and the seagulls.

A big thanks to Lexus for sponsoring the AskTell Act Series for two years now. We’re looking forward to the next city and highlighting another round of makers and creators in their natural habitat.

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DJ/Producer Honey Dijon Spins Music Industry Right Round

Milo Ventimiglia Strips Down and Gets Wet in Ellen’s Splash Tank – WATCH 

Milo Ventimiglia made a trip to Ellen to talk with Miley Cyrus (who’s subbing for DeGeneres) about his new series, This Is Us.

While on the show, the actor participated in Ellen’s annual tradition of dousing a sexy male star to raise money for breast cancer research.

RELATED: Milo Ventimiglia Flaunts It

Previously, Jerry O’Connell and Tyler Posey have all bared their flesh and gotten wet for a good cause.

Watch as Ventimiglia joins that illustrious lineage, below.

The post Milo Ventimiglia Strips Down and Gets Wet in Ellen’s Splash Tank – WATCH  appeared first on Towleroad.

Milo Ventimiglia Strips Down and Gets Wet in Ellen’s Splash Tank – WATCH 

Trump Foundation Ordered to Stop Raising Money in NY Immediately

New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman has issued a cease and desist order to the Trump Foundation.

The letter sent on Friday and made public on Monday says the organization has been operating without certification required of a charity to solicit donations.

The NYT reports: 

“The Trump Foundation must immediately cease soliciting contributions or engaging in any other fund-raising activities in New York,” wrote James Sheehan, the chief of the charities bureau.

Mr. Trump’s foundation has come under increasing scrutiny amid questions about his fulfillment of large charitable pledges and his lack of financial support in recent years.

The foundation’s compliance with the rules that govern nonprofit groups has also been a concern. The New York Times reported last month that Mr. Trump’s foundation does not show up on the charity registers in many states and The Washington Post subsequently reported that the foundation did not have the certification necessary to solicit money in New York.

Last month, The Washington Post also reported that Trump used money from his charity to settle personal lawsuits.

PREVIOUSLY: Trump Foundation, Donations Under Scrutiny as NY Atty General Launches Investigation, Dems Demand DOJ Probe

Trump spokeswoman Hope Hicks said in response to the cease and desist order,

“While we remain very concerned about the political motives behind A.G. Schneiderman’s investigation, the Trump Foundation nevertheless intends to cooperate fully with the investigation. Because this is an ongoing legal matter, the Trump Foundation will not comment further at this time.”

Trump has 15 days to provide the state with documents it has requested. Should the Trump Foundation not comply, the state attorney general’s office said they would view the defiance as an “act of fraud” perpetrated upon the people of New York.

NBC’s Katy Tur shared a copy of the letter on Twitter.

#BREAKING NY AG sends Cease and Desist to Trump Foundation for operating without proper certification. pic.twitter.com/qs7h3Q4li3

— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) October 3, 2016

The post Trump Foundation Ordered to Stop Raising Money in NY Immediately appeared first on Towleroad.

Trump Foundation Ordered to Stop Raising Money in NY Immediately

Trump’s Refusal to Support Open Military Service by Trans People Builds on Anti-LGBTQ Platform

Today, HRC slammed Donald Trump for refusing to support the Obama Administration’s decision to finally end the ban on transgender Americans serving openly in our military. When asked this morning about transgender military service Trump said, “We’re going to get away from political correctness.”

“Allowing transgender people to serve their country isn’t about politics, it’s about extending them the respect and dignity every service member deserves. This is yet another example of the grave threat that Donald Trump and Mike Pence pose to LGBTQ Americans,” saidHRC Communications Director Jay Brown. “Working for years with senior members of the military, the Secretary of Defense rightly ended a discriminatory policy this year, bringing long-overdue recognition to transgender service members, strengthening our military and our nation. Just like Mike Pence’s record defending the discriminatory, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” Donald Trump’s comments today are a reminder that he puts at risk all the gains made by the LGBTQ community over the last eight years.”

In addition to the United States, 18 other nations, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Israel, already allow transgender people to serve openly in their militaries.

In addition to his opposition to transgender people serving openly in the military, the Trump-Pence campaign’s anti-LGBTQ platformincludes: a vow to reverse nationwide marriage equality, support for North Carolina’s dangerous and vile HB2, and support for the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA), which would enable Kim Davis-style discrimination in our federal government. Trump has also expressed support for repealing President Obama’s executive orders, meaning the executive order protecting LGBTQ employees working for federal contractors is at risk.

As a member of Congress, Mike Pence opposed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” by saying it would turn the military into “a backdrop for social experimentation.”

According to the Williams Institute, there are approximately 15,500 actively serving transgender members of the U.S. military, making the Department of Defense (DoD) the largest employer of transgender people in America. These courageous men and women were forced to serve in silence by out-of-date and medically out-of step regulations prohibiting their service and requiring their separation from the military if discovered.

Unlike the statutory ban that interfered with lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members from serving (known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”), the ban on transgender military service was just policy and required only  action by the DoD to update. That action could be reversed by a Trump administration.

Throughout his campaign, Donald Trump attacked, belittled and maligned anyone and everyone he considers different. That includes the LGBTQ community, which is as diverse as our nation, and includes women, immigrants, Muslims, people of color, people living with disabilities, asylum seekers and others Trump has attacked for political gain.

www.hrc.org/blog/trumps-refusal-to-support-open-military-service-by-trans-people-builds-on-a?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Internet Responds In All Sorts Of Ways To Married Conservative Mike Yenni’s Boy Trouble

Tongues have been waging ever since Republican politician Mike Yenni from Louisiana was outed for allegedly sexting with a 17-year-old Catholic school boy, gifting the teen designer underwear and kissing him in a mall bathroom before discarding him like, well, just another summer fling.

Related: Married Conservative Politician Outed For Sexting Teen Boy, Kissing Him In Mall Bathroom

Since the story went viral on Friday, Yenni has gone into hiding. He hasn’t been into the office, nor has he answered any phone calls or emails. And his social media pages, both professional and personal, have not been updated either.

Related: Mike Yenni Responds To The Whole Sexting-With-A-Teen-Boy Scandal Then Promptly Goes Into Hiding

But just because Yenni’s been keeping a low profile doesn’t mean the rest of the world has. Both Twitter and Facebook were abuzz with talk of the 40-year-old married father of one’s extracurricular activities. And the responses have been quite mixed.

Let’s take a look at what folks have been saying…

Some people have offered words of support to the politician…

@MikeYenni KEEP THE FAITH!

— Michaelle Poche’ (@michaellepoche) October 2, 2016

Would Mike Yenni be prosecuted for this if he weren’t the Parish President? t.co/OjTLQ0XAOy

— CJ Mordock (@CJMordock) September 30, 2016

Others were much more critical of him…

So while Hillary is busy shattering glass ceilings, this dude is shattering the glass house in which he lives…. t.co/j9K4QSdfij

— John Paul Valdez (@johnpaulvaldez) September 30, 2016

@MikeYenni I can’t believe if true I voted for you. Just a disgrace to the people of Jefferson Parish.t.co/gT8Lek5n81 pic.twitter.com/bh3sPSaymI

— Edward P. Leon (@edwardpleon) September 30, 2016

@MikeYenni If this is true you need to resign. Not for being bi but for being a fraud. #NOLA #jeffersonparish #MikeYenni

— ZanderFromNola (@ZanderFromNola) September 30, 2016

@BigIrishJerk @MikeYenni He needs to resign and stop brainwashing the young twinks t.co/W5ejRuyqo3

— J (@jhrizzy) September 30, 2016

Then there were those who weren’t quite sure how they felt about the whole thing…

@MikeYenni Mike Yenni, I’ve seen all the stories and the blog post written by Alex Daigle. It’s it true? What’s going on?

— jw (@JayWillee) October 1, 2016

@lcalegan What the heck is going on in Jefferson Parish? t.co/tZ4JCorwCA

— Ben (@BenAtLarge) October 2, 2016

Some didn’t have much sympathy for the teen who outed Yenni…

Struggling to understand how @Alexandr_Daigle was “abused” in this story. @MikeYenni t.co/Wb8yz2wTk9 #MikeYenni #NOLA #LGBT

— NOLA Gayzer (@NOLAGayzer) October 1, 2016

@BonnevilleCJ @MikeYenni You’re not a “victim” for having sexual desires and being attracted to someone older

— JoeyCumley (@JoeyCumley) October 1, 2016

But our favorite responses came from those who found themselves deeply attracted to Yenni and took to Twitter to hit on him…

@MikeYenni Hi Honey

— C. W. (@username00122) October 1, 2016

@MikeYenni kinda sexy there Mike

— RODD CLARK (@RODDCLARK) September 30, 2016

@gaystarnews @MikeYenni He can send me some

— nipper baker (@nipperbaker) September 30, 2016

@MikeYenni would love to sit on yer lap while we deep tongue kiss

— freddie (@philadelphia44) October 1, 2016

How fast can we get @MikeYenni my number cause he’s cute as fuh ??

— joel hashtag king (@JoelHashtagKing) September 30, 2016

www.queerty.com/internet-responds-sorts-ways-married-conservative-mike-yennis-boy-trouble-20161003?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

In Leaked Video, Top Mormon Apostles Reveal Suspicions Of Gay Conspiracy

Looks like the Mormon Church has a spy amongst their ranks. Some anonymous source has leaked a whole bunch of footage of internal meetings of top officials from between 2007 and 2012, and as it turns out church leaders are exactly as nuts as you thought: they’re convinced that there’s a gay conspiracy in the media, because of course they are.

As with most leaks, some of the material is pretty dull. But then there are the juicier bits: conversations about marijuana, the age at which to marry, the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, and how the religious officials plan to influence politics. There’s also lots of conversation about homosexuality, a topic of some obsession for many Mormon leaders.

For example, they were particularly fascinated by Chelsea Manning. And at least one official, Dallin Oaks, said that he’s convinced the news media conspires to cover up negative information about gays. Officials also expressed suspicion that Manning and Julian Assange are gay.

Speaker: There was, Elder Oaks, initially a concern of the possibility that he had been reprimanded for homosexual issues. But that was not in the news afterwards. He is, I think, openly homosexual. And the reports were, as Elder Cook was mentioning, that his companion left him and he became depressed, and that seems, based on his Facebook writings, one of the features that caused him to do what he did.

Dallin H. Oaks: The reason I ask the question is not related to this presentation, but I’m suspicious that the news media cover up homosexuals when it would work to the disadvantage of the homosexual agenda and so on. I just wondered if there was some of that in this.

Speaker: My own sense is that when you listen to this particular man, Julian Assange, the rhetoric is surely a nice idea that there should be freedom of information. But when you listen to him and you get a feel from him you get much more of the anarchist than the freedom fighter.

M. Russell Ballard: Is he gay?

Speaker: I don’t know. He was under indictment as you’re alluding to for sexual assault but it seemed to be rape charges that he was coming under, not, not for being gay.

Boyd K. Packer: Well, thank you I think! chuckles

Yup, here are your leaders, Mormons: a bunch of old out-of-touch weirdos who still use the term “gay agenda.” They sure seem trustworthy.

www.queerty.com/leaked-video-top-mormon-apostles-reveal-suspicions-gay-conspiracy-20161003?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Hillary Clinton: Donald Trump Thinks You’re Stupid – WATCH

Hillary Clinton has released a new ad hitting Donald Trump on the subject of his taxes.

The ad comes in the wake of the NYT’s bombshell story that suggested Trump may not have paid federal income taxes for 18 years. 

Says the narrator in the ad, “You work hard. You pay your taxes. So why didn’t Donald Trump pay his? He claims he’s worth $10 billion. But a new report shows he may not have paid any federal taxes for almost 20 years.”

The ad then shows a clip from last week’s presidential debate in which Trump said that not paying federal income taxes ‘makes him smart.’

The narrator chimes back in, “If he thinks that makes him smart. What does he think of you?”

The ad then cuts to video of Donald Trump speaking at a campaign rally, asking, “How stupid are the people of this country?”

Watch, below.

Millions of Americans work hard and pay their taxes. So why doesn’t Donald Trump pay his? pic.twitter.com/WLSzIz0ewG

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 3, 2016

The post Hillary Clinton: Donald Trump Thinks You’re Stupid – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Hillary Clinton: Donald Trump Thinks You’re Stupid – WATCH