Pro Boxer Anthony Mundine: Gay People Should Be Put to Death

Australian pro boxer and former rugby league player Anthony Mundine has been making headlines down under for an appearance on the reality show I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, is under fire for remarks about gay people he made upon exiting the show.

In an exit interview, he was asked about his views on homosexuality, which he said he opposed before going on the show.

Said Mundine: “If we were to live in a society, just like in Aboriginal culture, that homosexuality is forbidden and you do it and the consequences are capital punishment or death, you think you are going to do it? Or think twice about doing it?”

Mundine said gay people shouldn’t be allowed on TV because it would indoctrinate children:

“They are not going to be happy until they have primary school kids being gay. I talk the truth. It is the system. I don’t care if you are gay or not, it doesn’t worry me because the creator will judge you later. If you are going to be gay, do it behind closed doors, that is how it used to be in the olden days.”

When asked specifically if he thought gay people should be executed, Mundine added: “The paedophiles mainly, hang them suckers and let’s see if they have the balls to do it again.”

Australian former rugby league player Casey Conway, who is gay and an indigenous Australian, denounced Mundine’s remarks: “Anthony Mundine is vile human and his comments should be condemned. Using our culture as a basis for his harmful opinions is disgraceful. Women and LGBTI people are your equal Anthony, you’re not better than anyone. Educate yourself.”

Anthony Mundine is vile human and his comments should be condemned.
Using our culture as a basis for his harmful opinions is disgraceful.
Women and LGBTI people are your equal Anthony, you’re not better than anyone. Educate yourself.

— Casey Conway (@caseyconway_) February 8, 2018

As did actor Tim Campbell, whose husband, the singer Anthony Callea, appeared on a previous season of the show: “So a pathetic little ferret like #CelebAnthony Mundine couldn’t cope in the jungle, is a quitter, yet is “the man”?
I guess that makes my #CelebAnthony husband, who could face the challenge and battled it to the end, a much stronger “man” than that vile, gutless homophobe.”

So a pathetic little ferret like #CelebAnthony Mundine couldn’t cope in the jungle, is a quitter, yet is “the man”?
I guess that makes my #CelebAnthony husband, who could face the challenge and battled it to the end, a much stronger “man” than that vile, gutless homophobe.

— Tim Campbell (@TimCampbellTwit) February 8, 2018

The post Pro Boxer Anthony Mundine: Gay People Should Be Put to Death appeared first on Towleroad.

Pro Boxer Anthony Mundine: Gay People Should Be Put to Death

Meet the Openly LGBTQ Athletes Competing at the Winter Olympics

More than 10 LGBTQ athletes from around the globe are in Pyeongchang to compete in the Winter Olympics, the most ever to participate in the Winter Games.

At the 2014 games in Sochi, seven openly LGBTQ athletes competed, all of whom were women. Russia’s harsh anti-LGBTQ agenda made public expression of support for the LGBTQ community a risk for both Olympic athletes and attendees.

Unfortunately, while there are many talented and successful transgender athletes around the globe, there are no openly transgender athletes competing in the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang. The same was true at the 2016 Rio Games.

Anti-LGBTQ Mike Pence led the U.S. delegation at today’s opening ceremony. Two openly gay U.S. Olympians, Gus Kenworthy and Adam Rippon, have been critical of Pence’s role.

These openly LGBTQ Olympic athletes are trailblazers for visibility in their sport and around the world.

• Gus Kenworthy is representing the U.S. in his second Olympics, but his first as an openly gay athlete. The slopestyle skier, who came out in 2015, struggled with Russia’s harsh anti-LGBTQ climate during the Sochi games. “I never got to be proud of what I did in Sochi because I felt so horrible about what I didn’t do,” Kenworthy said. “I didn’t want to come out as the silver medalist from Sochi. I wanted to come out as the best freeskier in the world.” Kenworthy was recently featured in P&G’s “Shoulders of Greatness” campaign, waving a Pride flag in a national commercial. Procter & Gamble is a leader in LGBTQ inclusion in the workplace, receiving a perfect 100 on HRC Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index. Last year, Kenworthy was honored with the HRC Visibility Award at the HRC Utah Gala.
• Adam Rippon is the first openly gay U.S. American male figure skater to compete in the Winter Olympics. From a small town in Pennsylvania, Rippon has grown to use his national platform for speaking out for LGBTQ issues since coming out in late 2015. “When I was young and still in the closet, I read a lot of articles about other people and their coming out stories and I watched YouTube videos on other people sharing their stories,” Rippon said in an exclusive interview with HRC’s Mark Lee. “That’s really what made me feel okay to be myself.” Pioneering U.S. figure skaters Johnny Weir and Brian Boitano came out after their Olympic careers had ended.
• Brittany Bowe is representing the U.S. in speed skating at her second Olympics, but her first as an out athlete. Bowe is currently dating Dutch speedskater Manon Kamminga. “It’s nice being with somebody that has the same passion, same drive, same goals,” Bowe said of Kamminga. “It’s obviously difficult living on different sides of the world. But we’re both focused on our goal.”
• Daniela Iraschko-Stolz is competing for Austria in her second Olympics. Iraschko-Stolz, who won silver in Sochi, married her partner Isabel in 2013 and came out publicly before the 2014 Olympic Games. “I don’t want to hide myself,” Iraschko-Stolz said. “I never cared at all what other people think about me.”
• Canadian pairs figure skater Eric Radford is participating in his second Olympic games, but his first as an openly gay athlete. Radford, who with his skating partner Meagan Duhamel is a two-time world champion, came out in late 2014 — becoming the first international-level figure skater to come out publicly while still competing. Radford’s fiancé, Luis Fenero, a competitive ice dancer, will likely also be in South Korea as a spectator.
• Cheryl Maas is competing in halfpipe snowboarding, representing the Netherlands in her third Olympics. The two-time world champion is married to former snowboarder Stine Brun Kjedlaas. The couple have two children together.
• Ireen Wüst is a contender to medal in long track speed skating at Pyeongchang, her fourth Olympic games. Previously, the openly bisexual skater competed and medaled at Turin, Vancouver and Sochi. Her partner, Letitia de Jong, is also a competitive speed skater.
• Ice hockey player Emilia Andersson Ramboldt is representing Sweden in Pyeongchang, her second Olympics. Ramboldt married her wife, Anna Ramboldt, in 2015.
• Jorik Hendrickx, a two-time national champion, is representing Belgium in figure skating. Pyeongchang is his second Olympics, but his first as an openly gay athlete. Hendrickx came out publicly last month.
• Simona Meiler is representing Switzerland in snowboarding, making Pyeongchang her third Olympics. Meiler is a fierce advocate for LGBTQ equality. “As an athlete but also as a human being, I think we need to stop any kind of discrimination in order to unleash our full potential,” Meiler said in an interview before the 2014 Sochi Games.
• Sarka Pancochova, another openly LGBTQ snowboarder, is representing the Czech Republic at her third Olympic games – but her first as an out athlete.  In an interview with Outsports, Pancochova said she is “stoked” to come out and not have to hide her truth any longer.
• Out athlete Barbara Jezeršek is representing Australia in her third Olympics competing in cross-country skiing — but her first under the Australian flag. Jezeršek competed at the Vancouver and Sochi games for her native Slovenia but became an Australian citizen after moving to the country in 2016.
• Openly lesbian snowboarder Belle Brockhoff is also be competing for Team Australia. Before she even officially qualified, outlets were calling Brockhoff a “major contender” in snowboard cross in Pyeongchang. Brockhoff came out ahead of the 2014 Sochi Olympics, her first Olympics, in part because of Russia’s harsh anti-LGBTQ laws. “I want to be proud of who I am and be proud of all the work I’ve done to get into the Olympics and not have to deal with this law,” Brockhoff said.
• While openly gay pairs skater Tim LeDuc did not qualify for the U.S. Olympic team, he and skating partner Ashley Cain are alternates.

HRC wishes these brave athletes the best of luck in South Korea

Photos courtesy of Pyeongchang2018.com, TeamUSA.org, @Headshoulders, Wikimedia Austria, Wikimedia Commons.

For more information on openly LGBTQ Olympians, visit Outsports.com.

www.hrc.org/blog/meet-the-openly-lgbtq-athletes-competing-at-the-winter-olympics?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Oiled and Shirtless Tonga Athlete Pita Taufatofua Returns to the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony: WATCH

Tongan athlete Pita Taufatofua returned to the Olympics as his country’s flag-bearer in the Opening Ceremonies. Taufatofua has turned in his taekwondo belt for a set of cross country skis.

It’s an unusual achievement, since there is no snow in Tonga. He’s just the second Tongan to ever compete in the Winter Olympics.

Tongan Flag Bearer, @PitaTaufatofua, has returned!! #WinterOlympicst.co/jUEL5ejPMA pic.twitter.com/knQnPdVZ3r

— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) February 9, 2018

The Guardian reported:

The 34-year-old, who went viral when he stepped into the limelight at the opening ceremony in Brazil, told the Olympic Channel that he had made it after a last ditch attempt in Iceland.

“I have just qualified Tonga for the Winter Olympics,” he declared in a Facebook live interview from near the Arctic Circle.

“This was the last day of the qualification process, this was my last race possible and we did it. We have done it,” beamed the Australian-based athlete, wrapped up against the freezing cold. “I had seven races and they all failed. I did my best but I fell short each time and I thought there’s one race left, it’s at the end of the world.”

The Royal Tonga Ski Federation congratulated him on its Facebook page.

Taufatofua had announced his intention to become Tonga’s first male Olympic cross-country skier at the end of 2016 as he looked for a new challenge after exiting the Rio taekwondo competition in the first round.

Good luck.

Tonga! Immune to the cold. #Pyeongchang2018 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/JX6PYINg0C

— Jean H. Lee (@newsjean) February 9, 2018

RELATED: Pita Taufatofua, Tonga’s Oiled-Up Summer Olympic Hunk, Just Qualified for the *Winter* Olympics

Two years on from Rio and @PitaTaufatofua is topless again! Welcome Tonga to the Winter @Olympics!

See more on @pyeongchang2018 here: t.co/M70cMvG6ul pic.twitter.com/w8IQKpDLgM

— Olympic Channel (@olympicchannel) February 9, 2018

This fella from Tonga didn’t get the memo though. pic.twitter.com/jThbFdrieS

— ByTheMinute (@itsByTheMinute) February 9, 2018

The post Oiled and Shirtless Tonga Athlete Pita Taufatofua Returns to the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad.

Oiled and Shirtless Tonga Athlete Pita Taufatofua Returns to the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony: WATCH

Winter spielt verrückt: Blutregen über Balkan, sibirische Kälte in Spanien

www.huffingtonpost.de/entry/wetter-europa_de_5a7db99ce4b044b3821cacb5

평창올림픽 최종 성화 점화자는 역시 여왕이었다

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  JAVIER SORIANO via Getty Images
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  Pool via Getty Images
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  Pool via Getty Images
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  Pool via Getty Images
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  Pool via Getty Images
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  Pool via Getty Images
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  Richard Heathcote via Getty Images
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  Sean M. Haffey via Getty Images
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  Pool via Getty Images

www.huffingtonpost.kr/entry/pyeongchang_kr_5a7da04de4b044b3821c5f44

トンガの民族衣装に世界が衝撃　平昌オリンピック開会式（画像集）

2月9日、平昌オリンピック開会式のトンガ選手団の旗手が世界中の観衆の度肝を抜いた。

韓国気象庁は、開会式が行われる平昌スタジアムの気温について体感温度は氷点下10度前後になると予測していた。

そんな中、南国の島国トンガ王国の選手団の旗手の上半身は、なんと裸。下半身に民族衣装を身につけ、国の旗を持って入場したのだ。

旗手を務めたのは、リオ五輪と同じくピタ・タウファトファ。衣装も全く同じだった。リオではテコンドー選手として出場したが、今回はクロスカントリーの選手として出場する。

赤道に近いブラジルとは違って、真冬の韓国。見ているだけで身震いしてくるが、タウファトファ選手の笑顔は熱かった。

ただ本人も寒いのは間違いないようで、8日の入村式では「平昌は寒い。命が大事だ。見るまで待って」と語っていた。

ネット上では「トンガはある意味伝説となりました」「トンガの選手には競技とは別に金メダルを渡しても良いと思った」などと、絶賛する声が相次いでいる。

www.huffingtonpost.jp/2018/02/09/tonga_a_23357420/

‘Will And Grace’ Actor Eric McCormack Addresses Debate Over Straight Actors Playing Gay Characters (EXCLUSIVE)

‘Will And Grace’ actor Eric McCormack has shared his opinion over the debate on whether straight actors should be able to play gay roles, calling it a “dumb conversation”.

As a continually increasing number of LGBT+ stories are being told in both film and television, many people have questioned whether it’s appropriate to have straight and cisgender actors playing characters who are gay, bisexual or transgender.

Eric – a straight-identifying actor who has played one of the title characters in ‘Will And Grace’ since its debut in 1998 – has old HuffPost UK he sees no problem when straight actors take on gay roles.

guy. I think it’s a dumb conversation.”

However, he did say he felt “differently” with regards to cisgender actors portraying trans roles.

man should play a black man and an Indian woman should play an Indian woman, that we start to give transgender people a chance to play themselves.

“Just as Will and Jack were kind of new for a lot of America back then, so is the idea of what a transgender person is and can be.

“And so I think it’s important they have their voice. But in the meantime, if I can’t play a gay man… then why should I play a dentist? Because I’m not a dentist either.”

After a break of more than a decade, Eric returned to the role of Will Truman in ‘Will And Grace’ for a new series in 2017, alongside co-stars Debra Messing, Sean Hayes and Megan Mullally.

The new series of ‘Will And Grace’ is currently on Friday nights at 10pm on Channel 5.

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/will-and-grace-eric-mccormack-gay-actors_uk_5a7da77ae4b044b3821c7c35