Anderson Cooper Lays Into Gingrich’s “Sex Fascination” Hypocrisy

Donald Trump surrogate and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich recently appeared on Megyn Kelly‘s show “The Kelly File” in an explosive segment where he accused her of being “fascinated with sex” for covering the sexual assault allegations against the Republican nominee for president.

Kelly shot back that she wasn’t fascinated by sex, but rather with the protection of women and ended the segment by telling Gingrich to work on his anger problems.

Anderson Cooper has weighed in on the exchange, calling out the irony of Gingrich accusing Kelly of being obsessed with the topic.

“For Newt Gingrich to accuse Megyn Kelly of being fascinated by sex, I mean this is the guy who is on his, what, third marriage, cheated on his first two wives and was having an affair when he was impeaching Bill Clinton,” Cooper pointed out to Trump supporter Scottie Hughes.

Hughes passed the entire exchange as being little more than the result of passions at the end of an election campaign. Cooper pressed the issue.

“For a male like him, with his record on relationships, to accuse Megyn Kelly of being fascinated by sex just seems particularly ironic,” he said.

“I think the word you were looking for is hypocritical,” said Ana Navarro, a Republican strategist who is not supporting Trump for president.

“That would be another word,” Cooper agreed.

“Yes, that would be another word,” Navarro said. “Now let’s remember that Newt Gingrich’s [ex] wife [Marianne Gingrich], when he was running in 2012, told all of us, told the media, said it in public, said it to a camera, that Newt Gingrich had offered her the choice between an open marriage or a divorce. So maybe, just maybe, just maybe if all of that baggage is on your shoulders, maybe you shouldn’t be the surrogate out there wagging your finger…”

She also pointed out that Kelly was reporting on sexual assault, not on sex.

“Let me explain it slowly,” Navarro said. “Sexual assault and sex are two different things. One is unwanted, one is wanted. So maybe they need to understand that to begin with.”

Watch below.

Later in the panel discussion Navarro played an air violin for Trump supporter Kayleigh McEnany when she complained that she wasn’t being listened to because she is a millennial.

“Let me play my old, ancient Stradivarius for you,” she said.

McEnany argued that the American voters are uninterested in the topic of the sexual assault allegations against Trump, minimizing them as “kissing allegations” in a conversation with Lisa Bloom, an attorney for a woman who sued him for harassment in 1997.

“We are talking about sexual assault, we are not talking about sex,” Bloom said, making a similar argument to Navarro’s.

McEnany tried to pivot to the accusations against Bill Clinton, which proved unfruitful.

“You obviously don’t know my record,” Bloom replied. “Because I called for Bill Clinton to resign in the 1990s based on his allegations. Bill Clinton is not running for office any more than Melania Trump is running for office.”

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Hillary Clinton Says Marriage Equality, LGBT Rights are at Stake in this Election – WATCH

Campaigning with First Lady Michelle Obama in North Carolina on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton urged voters to understand that marriage equality and LGBT rights are at stake in this election.

Clinton called on North Carolinians to un-seat Governor Pat McCrory and elect in his stead Attorney General Roy Cooper. McCrory infamous signed North Carolina’ anti-LGBT ‘bathroom bill’ into law and continues to defend it despite widespread condemnation from civil rights groups and the business community. Cooper on the other hand has vowed to repeal HB 2 if elected.

Said Clinton, “Let’s be sure to elect Roy Cooper the next governor of North Carolina.”

“He will repeal HB2,” Clinton added, “Because he knows that discrimination is wrong. it’s bad for business and it’s against North Carolina’s values.”

Clinton also made a veiled reference to Donald Trump’s support of anti-equality justices and his coziness with the anti-LGBT religious right.

“Marriage equality is at stake too” in this election, Clinton said.

“If you believe everyone deserves to be treated equally in America no matter who they are or who they love, then you’ve got to turn out and vote in this election,” she insisted.

Watch below. The video begins with Clinton’s remarks about Cooper and you can watch her comments on marriage equality at the 43:32 mark.

The post Hillary Clinton Says Marriage Equality, LGBT Rights are at Stake in this Election – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Hillary Clinton Says Marriage Equality, LGBT Rights are at Stake in this Election – WATCH

World Bank Appoints Clifton Cortez as First-Ever Senior Advisor on SOGI Issues

The World Bank announced today that it appointed Clifton Cortez to serve as its first-ever Advisor on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) issues. This is a newly created senior position and Cortez will be responsible for promoting LGBTQ inclusion throughout the work of the World Bank.

In a release about the appointment, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim said, “Discrimination against any group is not only morally wrong, it stands in the way of sustained, balanced, and inclusive economic growth.”

As HRC reported in April when the Bank first announced the creation of the position, this is a crucial step to ensure protection of LGBTQ people when financing projects in the developing world. With an annual budget of more than $65 billion, the Bank has the ability to have an enormous impact on communities in countries where it works. Here are some ways in which the Bank could ensure LGBTQ inclusion:

• If the Bank helps build a school, educators should be required to welcome LGBTQ students and to address bullying appropriately.
• If the Bank funds construction of a dam that requires communities to move out of the area, they should resettle LGBTQ people in places that are safe.
• If the Bank helps fund a health clinic, they must ensure that LGBTQ people are not turned away or are made to feel stigmatized.

Cortez brings over two decades of international experience in development and human rights to this position. He has worked for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the last six years and for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) before that. His work has often focused on LGBTQ people, having led UNDP’s “Being LGBT in Asia” project and their HIV portfolio across Asia and the Pacific. Cortez has a law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.

“We are very excited to work with Mr. Cortez as he starts this new position,” said Ty Cobb, Director of HRC Global. “He brings a wealth of knowledge on LGBTQ issues and a great deal of passion and creativity to the post. Through Mr. Cortez’s leadership, and that of other senior leaders at the Bank, millions of LGBTQ people around the globe could benefit from the billions of dollars being spent on international development projects.”

HRC and other groups have also called on the Bank to take a number of other steps that would help protect LGBTQ people around the world. In particular, the Bank should:

• Fund research on the economic well-being of LGBTQ people in developing countries and on the economic impact of anti-LGBTQ laws and discrimination in those countries
• Ensure that high level Bank officials meet with LGBTQ communities whenever possible, particularly when president Jim Kim is traveling abroad.

HRC congratulates the World Bank on taking this positive step and looks forward to working with Cortez and other senior Bank leaders to protect and advance the rights and dignity of all people, no matter who they are or whom they love. Cortez will officially take up his Bank duties on November 14, 2016.

www.hrc.org/blog/world-bank-appoints-clifton-cortez-as-first-ever-senior-advisor-on-sogi-iss?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

“Cowardly Log Cabin Republicans” Read For Filth For Stance On Trump

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WATCH LIVE: Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama Campaign Together for the First Time

Hillary Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama will campaign together for the first time this election cycle at a rally in North Carolina on Thursday.

The event begins at 2 PM EST and you can live stream it above.

Mrs. Obama has been one of Clinton’s most impactful and articulate surrogates this year as she faces off against Donald Trump.

The first lady delivered what was considered by many to be the best speech of the Democratic National Convention this past summer, praising Clinton’s bona fides to be commander-in-chief, and more recently, eviscerating Trump in an emotional rebuke that came on the heels of ‘P—y’-gate.

ICYMI – Michelle Obama Destroys Trump in Emotional Speech: I Have Been ‘Shaken to My Core’ – WATCH

The New York Times reports on the event taking place Thursday:

Eight years ago, the thought of Mrs. Obama being Mrs. Clinton’s most powerful campaigner would have been unimaginable. The Democratic primary in 2008 between Mrs. Clinton and Barack Obama was grueling and brutal.

That Mrs. Obama has thrown herself into the role of defending Mrs. Clinton so completely and, in the minds of many political observers, so effectively is among the most notable story lines of the tumultuous 2016 campaign.

The rally will take place in Winston-Salem. Mr. Obama won North Carolina in 2008, but he lost it in 2012.

The post WATCH LIVE: Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama Campaign Together for the First Time appeared first on Towleroad.

WATCH LIVE: Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama Campaign Together for the First Time

On the Campaign Trail in Charlotte With Hillary Clinton

Submitted by: Brittany Desgeges, Field Organizer for TurnOUT North Carolina

As a field organizer for TurnOUT NC, I have been working to elect pro-equality candidates in the Charlotte area who will appear on the ballot with Secretary Clinton. This week, I was so excited to have the opportunity to hear Clinton speak in person about her plans for our country.

Canvassing alongside local candidates like Chaz Beasley for NC House District 92 and state Sen. Jeff Jackson has heightened my enthusiasm for electing candidates willing to repeal HB2. I was so proud to see state Sen. Jackson hit the stage and get the crowd hyped up before Clinton’s entrance.

Among the sea of “Stronger Together” signs, I stood directly in front of Clinton’s podium among a group of HRC leaders from Charlotte, including Dan Mauney and Jay Biles. Multiple people walked up to our group to ask if they could take pictures of us wearing our #turnOUT shirts. The overwhelming amount of support that I felt from complete strangers was awesome and made all of the work we’ve been doing for the election even more worth it.

With the hit that our state has taken both socially and economically as a result of our current elected leaders like Gov. Pat McCrory and the discriminatory legislation he helped pass in HB2, I appreciated how Clinton made a point to highlight the work of local leaders like Rev. Barber from the NC NAACP, and U.S. Senate candidate Deborah Ross, as well as Ross’s plans to get our state back on the right track. Clinton also had a strong get-out-the-vote message and encouraged people to make their voices heard by heading to the polls and voting early.

As a young woman of color, I realize that the stakes are extremely high in this election and will greatly influence the way we define ourselves as a nation. I believe that our country needs a commander-in-chief who has experience in the political realm, who believes that our nation prospers when the economy works best for everyone, not just those at the top. We need someone who wants to make America a country that gives everyone the opportunity to live up to their potential, regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion. We need someone who recognizes that we really are stronger when we come together, not when we divide ourselves by inspiring fear and spreading hate. That person is Hillary Clinton, and that’s why I’m working to #turnOUT the vote for her, alongside other pro-equality candidates.

Today, there are an estimated 255,824 LGBTQ adults living in North Carolina — a substantial population given that the state was won in the last three presidential elections by an average of 180,500 votes. Nearly 90,000 LGBTQ adults live in the Charlotte Metro Area alone. The LGBTQ voting bloc in North Carolina will play a pivotal role in the presidential, gubernatorial and other down ballot races.

Click here to sign up to volunteer at our Charlotte or Raleigh offices. If you have questions about HRC’s work in North Carolina to #turnOUT voters, please contact HRC Associate Regional Field Director Ryan Wilson at [email protected].

www.hrc.org/blog/on-the-campaign-trail-in-charlotte-with-hillary-clinton?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Apparently It’s Never Too Early For A Ludicrously Cute, Gay-Themed Holiday Ad

Hey you: drop that plastic Jack O’Lantern and stop dutifully squeezing into your super-sexy, skintight Superman costume. It’s officially time to start thinking of jingle bells, sleigh rides, and cozy gay couples getting paralyzingly cute, as befits the Yuletide season.

Related: Nordstrom Wins The Holidays With Beautiful Commercial About Gay Couple And Their Dog

Hallmark has wasted no time in zapping Facebook with perhaps the very first gay-themed holiday ad, and it pours the adorability on quite heavily. The only way you’d have any problem with this advertisement is if you have a cold lump of black coal where your heart should be.

Watch:

www.queerty.com/apparently-never-early-ludicrously-cute-gay-themed-holiday-ad-20161027?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Gay News Anchor Has the Best Possible Pun About Victoria Secret’s ‘Fantasy Bra’ – WATCH

News anchor Blaine Stewart of WKTR 3 News in Virginia left his co-anchor in stitches with a two-part retort about Victoria Secret’s so-called ‘fantasy bra.’

Each year as part of its annual televised ‘fashion show’ Victoria Secret unveils a bra crafted from expensive gems that’s worth millions of dollars. A bra fit for Marie Antoinette, you could say.

This year’s fantasy bra is called “Bright Nights Fantasy” (because they have names) and is valued at $3 million. 

RELATED: These Are the Funniest Presidential News Bloopers Ever – WATCH

Reporting on the bra on Thursday, Stewart retorted, “For most guys a fantasy bra is one they can actually unhook.”

And in case that joke seems cut and dry and, well, very ‘straight’, Stewart then chimed in with, “Trust me, I wouldn’t know.” Stewart is openly gay and reportedly a former member of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Journalists.

That last quip sent his co-anchor even further into a fit of laughter. “You can’t say stuff like that and expect me to read what’s on the TV screen!” she exclaimed.

Watch, below.

The post Gay News Anchor Has the Best Possible Pun About Victoria Secret’s ‘Fantasy Bra’ – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

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#AM_Equality Tip Sheet: October 27, 2016

COUNTDOWN and #turnOUT: 12 days until Election Day and more than 7.3 million Americans have already voted. In battleground states including Nevada, registered Democrats are turning out in higher numbers — crucial numbers for pro-equality candidates like Hillary Clinton and Catherine Cortez Masto. In Nevada, there are an estimated 81,300 LGBTQ voters in a state where the last three presidential elections were won by an average of 69,730 votes.

BREAKING – BLOOMBERG REPORTS TRUMP CAMPAIGN ENGAGING IN VOTER SUPPRESSION: In a blockbuster story this morning, Bloomberg’s Sasha Issenberg (@sissenberg) and Joshua Green (@Joshua Green) report that a senior official with Donald Trump’s campaign reveals that his team is actively working to suppress voter participation in the presidential election. “We have three major voter suppression operations under way,” the senior official told Bloomberg, aimed at three groups Hillary Clinton needs to win: idealistic white liberals, young women, and African Americans. How surprising – instead of trying to attract voters with a compelling, positive message like Hillary Clinton, Trump “has devised another strategy, which, not surprisingly, is negative.” Read more here.

USAID TO PROHIBIT ANTI-LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION IN ALL CONTRACTS: Yesterday, in remarks at an event hosted by HRC, American University and Human Rights First, Ambassador Susan Rice announced that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has finalized a new rule prohibiting anti-LGBTQ discrimination in all of its contractors’ services. She revealed the policy during a speech focusing on the Obama Administration’s legacy and leadership on promoting and protecting LGBTQ human rights around the world . USAID provides nearly $16 billion in foreign aid annually in more than 100 countries. This policy will be written into all USAID contracts. Unfortunately, it does not include grantees, also major recipients of USAID funds; and doesn’t cover employment decisions by USAID contractors and grantees working on projects around the world ranging from food security to education. Read HRC’s report on the new policy. Read more about Ambassador Rice’s speech from Newsweek and The Associated Press.

“From his earliest days in office, @POTUS…worked to strengthen LGBTQ rights at home & promote them abroad”-@AmbassadorRice #globalequality pic.twitter.com/yzwDY1hTMy

— WH National Security (@NSC44) October 26, 2016

SIXTY-SIX REASONS NOT TO VOTE FOR PAT MCCRORY: From his anti-LGBTQ HB2 law, to his positions on women’s health, Medicaid, education, and the environment — not to mention his support for Donald Trump — there are myriad powerful reasons for North Carolinians to vote Governor Pat McCrory out of office. In one of the most thorough lists we’ve seen arguing that voters #turnOUT for Roy Cooper on November 8, IndyWeek’s Paul Blest (@PBlest) rounds up 66 reasons McCrory must go. And illustrator Shan Stumpf gave us our new Halloween costume idea: “Zombie McCrory”. Check it out here.

• HB2 is bad for business: Ashley Christensen, an influential North Carolinian chef with seven restaurants in the state, comes out against HB2 in an op-ed for Eater.

JASON COLLINS, FTW: Jason Collins(@JasonCollins98), the first openly gay NBA player, delivered an important video message yesterday: In key states, the number of LGBTQ voters alone exceeds the average margin of victory over the last three presidential cycles. Our community has the power to decide this election and we’ve got to #turnOUT for Hillary Clinton and pro-equality candidates up and down the ballot. Watch it here.

.@jasoncollins98, the first openly gay @NBA player has a message: The LGBTQ community has the power to decide this election. Let’s #turnOUT! pic.twitter.com/ersewZH1e9

— HumanRightsCampaign (@HRC) October 26, 2016

THROWBACK THURSDAY: On October 30, 2009, President Obama lifted a 22-year ban on people living with HIV from entering the U.S., calling the policy “rooted in fear rather than fact.” This was a momentous event in the ongoing quest to destigmatize HIV. For more on HIV and AIDS, including more of what the Obama administration has done to address the epidemic within the LGBTQ community, visit HRC.

HRC ENDORSES JOHN GREGG FOR IND. GOVERNOR OVER “MINI-PENCE” OPPONENT: HRC endorsed John Gregg for Governor of Indiana and Christina Hale for Lieutenant Governor. The governor’s office is being vacated by Mike Pence, who became a national disgrace for his shameful “license to discriminate” bill that could have allowed businesses to deny service to LGBTQ people. Following in Pence’s anti-equality footsteps, Gregg’s opponent, Eric Holcomb, has refused to support LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections during the campaign — despite the outcry from the business community and a majority of Hoosiers who opposed Pence’s discriminatory bill.

HRC JOINS RESOLUTION ON INTERSEX AWARENESS DAY: Yesterday was Intersex Awareness Day, which commemorates the first demonstration by intersex people in North America.  On this day organizations across the globe, including HRC,  partner together to raise the visibility of the intersex community.  This year HRC partnered with interACT on a resolution calling for the recognition of intersex human rights. More from HRC.

READING RAINBOW

BBC surveyed sports fans about how they would feel about openly-LGBTQ players… DeRay Mckesson (@DeRay) endorses Hillary Clinton in an Washington Post op-ed… CNN profiles Ricardo Rosas, an openly gay Mormon advocate working to bring equality to the faith…

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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