Elizabeth Warren Eviscerates Trump on the Senate Floor: ‘I Am Ready to Fight’ – WATCH

Elizabeth Warren blasted president-elect Donald Trump on Thursday for putting white supremacists in the White House and lying to millions of Americans about his plan to ‘drain the swamp.’

Trump has filled his transition team with what Warren called ‘swamp monsters’, lobbyists with ties to big business and Wall Street who, as Politico notes, represent “an investment bankers’ dream.”

Warren said that Trump has proven that his populist promise to the American people “is worth nothing.”

She added, “I am ready to fight on behalf of the millions of Americans you have lied to.  That includes the millions who voted for you and the millions who didn’t.”

Watch, below.

The post Elizabeth Warren Eviscerates Trump on the Senate Floor: ‘I Am Ready to Fight’ – WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Elizabeth Warren Eviscerates Trump on the Senate Floor: ‘I Am Ready to Fight’ – WATCH

Yes, Preferred Pronouns Are a Thing

www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/11/18/yes-preferred-pronouns-are-thing

How Do You Feel About This Footballer Pulling Down His Opponent’s Shorts?

The referee wasn’t haven’t it, but you will.

During a World Cup qualifying game between Bosnia and Greece, a Bosnian forward by the name of Edin Dzeko decided to wrench off the shorts of a certain Greek defender named Sokratis Papastathopoulos, as one does.

Related: Mexican Football Officials: Antigay Chants “Not Insulting”

Both players were handed red cards and summarily dismissed because of the scuffle that broke out following all this scandalous short-pulling.

Really, it’s a moment you might cherish forever:

www.queerty.com/feel-footballer-pulling-opponents-shorts-20161118?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Ivory Coast Sends Two Men to Prison for Gay Sex

Ivory Coast, “a country known for its relative tolerance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” has sent two men to prison for same-sex sexual acts in its first-ever conviction of that nature, News 24 reports:

The two men, aged 31 and 19, received three-month prison sentences, he said.

The men denied having a sexual relationship, Espace Confiance said in a statement.

The verdict was handed down on November 3 by a court in Sassandra, a coastal town more than 250km west of Abidjan, the commercial capital. A copy was not available on Wednesday.

Court officials have declined to answer questions about the case, saying the trial was public and all relevant information was described for those who attended.

Ivory Coast does not criminalise same-sex sexual acts between consenting adults. However, the penal code does criminalize public indecency, though there are no other known cases of this provision being used to target people engaged in same-sex sexual conduct, Koffi said.

Anti-gay sentiment has been seen rising in Ivory Coast in recent years, however.

In 2014, the headquarters of the African nation’s most prominent LGBT rights organization was attacked by nearly 200 people who stormed the offices of Alternative Cote d’Ivoire in Abidjan, breaking windows and stealing office equipment. It was part of a series of coordinated attacks on the LGBT community, officials said.

And shortly after the attacks on Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub, a group of gay men in Ivory Coast were forced to flee their homes in fear for their safety after the U.S. Embassy published a photo of them signing a condolence book for victims of the June 12 massacre.

The post Ivory Coast Sends Two Men to Prison for Gay Sex appeared first on Towleroad.

Ivory Coast Sends Two Men to Prison for Gay Sex

Get Answers About What a Trump Administration Could Mean for LGBTQ Rights

We know that the LGBTQ and allied community are deeply concerned about the results of Tuesday’s election – and we are too. We’ve heard from many of you with important questions about what a Trump Administration could mean for LGBTQ people and our families, our marriages, and our service to country.

Earlier today, HRC’s Legal Director Sarah Warbelow and Government Affairs Director David Stacy, along with HRC Senior Program Specialist, HIV Prevention & Health Equity Noel Gordon, sat down for a Facebook Live to answer some of your questions.

We want you to know that we stand with you and are committed to continuing to fight for you. Stand with us in solidarity and join us.  If you or someone you know is struggling to comprehend last night’s results and is in need of assistance, here are several LGBTQ-friendly resources.

Here are links to several resources that are mentioned in the video. Please comment on the post with your questions and we will try to answer as soon as we can.

Watch the video and check out answers to your questions below:

• Congressional Scorecard – www.hrc.org/Scorecard
• Municipal Equality Index – www.hrc.org/MEI
• Corporate Equality Index – www.hrc.org/CEI
• Healthcare Equality Index – www.hrc.org/HEI
• Federal Legislation

>

NOTE: this isn’t an exact transcript; it’s been edited for length and clarity:

Will marriage equality be overturned?
It’s not impossible, but it’s not likely. It’s a binding decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. Congress and Donald Trump cannot unilaterally undo marriage equality. Currently, all five justices who ruled in favor of marriage equality are still on the bench, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. It’s hard to imagine how we lose marriage equality.

Will my parental rights be challenged?
Most adoption law is set at the state level. The U.S. Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling makes clear that legally married same-sex couples should be treated the same as every other married couple. We think that listing both parents on a birth certificate should be sufficient to establish parentage. However, if you are a non-biological parent you may want to take the extra step of also adopting your child – simply to make sure you have every legal tie available.

What if my same-sex spouse was born in another country?
The only concern is if your spouse has not come to the country with necessary documentation, isn’t now documented, or hasn’t applied for a green card. You should as quickly as possible ensure your spouse has a green card or legal documentation in place. If that is in place, there is no reason to believe your spouse would be deported.

Will protections for transgender people be undone?
One of the big things that the Obama Administration has done through the Departments of Justice and Education is issue guidance protecting transgender people and students. That guidance is at very grave risk; there is a good chance it will be withdrawn. However, that doesn’t mean underlying law protecting people from discrimination is going away. For example, school districts have a moral and legal responsibility to provide every student a safe learning environment. There likely won’t be the same level of enforcement from federal government under a Trump Administration, but people are still protected.

Can Don’t Ask Don’t Tell be reinstated?
As a technical matter, the new president could say that LGBTQ people can no longer serve in the military. That would be  exceedingly unlikely. Openly LGB service in the military has been phenomenally successful. Military leadership feels good about it, and LGBTQ servicemembers have skills and expertise our military needs. That being said, transgender military service has just begun, and it is a little more at risk. But once the military implements something, it takes a lot to change course. If you’re in the military, if you’re openly LGB, you’ll have a lot of support. If you’re transgender in the military, this is a time to decide what’s best for you in regards to coming out, and we encourage you to speak with transgender military advocacy organizations for guidance while making your decision.

Will the healthcare I receive be affected?
There is nothing stopping hospitals and doctors’ offices from doing their best by their LGBTQ patients. Our concern is that a Trump Administration and the incoming Congress may push for huge carve outs allowing religious hospitals and healthcare facilities to discriminate against LGBTQ people by not recognizing same-sex marriages, for example, or not treating transgender people equally and with the dignity they deserve. We will be watching this like a hawk, and pushing back at any effort seeking to allow discrimination.

Will restaurants and places I do business be able to turn me away?
Unfortunately, both federal law and many states laws lack provisions preventing discrimination against LGBTQ people in places of public accommodation, including businesses and restaurants. If you have such protections under your state or local laws, that is certainly not going to change in the short run. Federal agencies and the courts will continue to accept employment discrimination complaints, but we do have concerns that the new administration will very likely not enforce these as vigorously as the Obama Administration has.

www.hrc.org/blog/what-a-trump-administration-could-mean-for-lgbtq-rights?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

7 Things You Need To Know About The Great Queer Music Icon Michael Stipe

Michael Stipe has announced his return to music after five years incognito, and lovers of all things rock & roll and LGBTQ feel all shiny & happy. Today, R.E.M. releases a 25th anniversary reissue of the classic album Out Of Time on Nov. 18. The set includes unreleased demos, rare live performance recordings, and outtakes from early songs.

Out Of Time was an international breakthrough for the band, and Stipe has since earned luminary status as both a musician and queer icon.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. He was the lead singer of a fabulous band

R.E.M. debuted in 1980 and quickly achieved cult status on the college for its blending of thoughtful lyrics and electric folk rock. Stipe served as lead singer and songwriter for the band, and his vocals, alternating between haunting mumbling and mournful wails, are some of the most recognizable in music history. His lean body, stage charisma, and ecstatic dancing set gay boys hearts aflame even if he didn’t come out formally until many years later. The gorgeous esoteric songs of the early years, from songs like the raucaus Radio Free Europe to the elegiac “Green Grow The Rushes” later gave way to more poppy but equally effecting hits like “Everybody Hurts,” “Shiny Happy People” and “End of the World as We Know It.” Here we should note that the chiming Rickenbacker riffs of guitarist Peter Buck perfectly complimented Stipe’s singing.

2. He came out way back in 1994

Stipe’s flamboyant stage persona and enigmatic personality attracted a good deal of speculation throughout the 1980s that he might indeed be gay. After allegations surfaced that Stipe had contracted HIV, the singer set the record straight in 1994, a time when many musicians were still deeply closeted. While HIV negative, he had the courage to label himself as “queer” and acknowledged relationships with both men and women over the years. He lives in a happy relationship with a man today.

3. He’s an acclaimed music producer

Besides his work with R.E.M., Stipe has collaborated and contributed to other musical work with acclaimed musicians, including his friend Natalie Merchant, Tori Amos, Chris Martin and Courtney Love. Stipe had planned to record an album with Love’s late husband, Kurt Cobain, as a means of helping Cobain kick his drug addiction. Unfortunately, Cobain committed suicide before the two had a chance to produce any recordings.

4. He also produces movies

Stipe hasn’t limited his work to music. He began producing short films in 1983, and his credits include producing Man in the Moon, Being John Malkovich and the queer-rock themed Velvet Goldmine.

5. He’s a sculptor

During his hiatus from R.E.M., Stipe turned to visual arts. He works mainly in bronze and brass, and his work has attracted a good deal of attention from New York art critics. After performing in a tribute concert to David Bowie, Stipe has decided he should return to music.

6. He worked at Waffle House

While a struggling artist in his college days in Athens, Georgia, Stipe worked as a waiter at Waffle House, the notorious southern diner chain. Stipe’s showbiz ascent from such modest beginnings proves, if nothing else, that everybody has to start somewhere.

7. He told Donald Trump & Mike Pence to “Go F*^K” themselves

R.E.M.’s 1987 song, “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” was used to violently excite the unthinking posse at a Tea Party rally this summer as Trump emerged. Stipe used the epithet again to describe then-Indiana governor Mike Pence when he signed the antigay “religious liberty” bill passed by the state legislature. We thus have a pretty good idea of how he feels about the outcome of the presidential election as well.

www.queerty.com/7-things-need-know-great-queer-music-icon-michael-stipe-20161118?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Britney Spears and Tinashe Introduce Sam Asghari to the World in ‘Slumber Party’ Vid: WATCH

Britney Spears and Tinashe released a video for the Glory track “Slumber Party” which features fancy cars, flamethrowers, grand staircases, group choreography, and a lot of orgiastic lesbianic frolicking on pillows.

The video was directed by Colin Tilley.

Also in the video, playing the role of liquid-spilling casanova, is personal trainer Sam Asghari.

And since he’s much less clothed in the video than we’d like him to be, there are some Instagram shots below it for your perusal.

Watch:

The post Britney Spears and Tinashe Introduce Sam Asghari to the World in ‘Slumber Party’ Vid: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Britney Spears and Tinashe Introduce Sam Asghari to the World in ‘Slumber Party’ Vid: WATCH