Aaron Schlossberg, Shawn Mendes, Ronan Farrow, Madonna, John Travolta, Jim Acosta, Lebanon: HOT LINKS

Aaron Schlossberg, Shawn Mendes, Ronan Farrow, Madonna, John Travolta, Jim Acosta, Lebanon: HOT LINKS
Antony Tran

 

AARON SCHLOSSBERG. NYC racist threatens to call ICE on people speaking Spanish, then gets banned from entering his office building.

New York City’s diversity is our strength. It’s what makes this city great. The 8.6 million people who call this city home speak more than 200 languages – they’re all New Yorkers and they’re all welcome here.

— Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) May 16, 2018

ODD COUPLE. John Travolta and 50 Cent get down in Cannes.

MEETING THE QUEEN. Shawn Mendes sits down with Ellen.

CNN’S JIM ACOSTA. I was just as tough on Obama. “It is funny that your last name is ‘Acosta’ and you’re constantly ‘accosting’ people,” Kimmel laughed. “It’s almost like you were born to do this.”

REP MO BROOKS. Global sea level rise is not because of global warming but because rocks are falling into sea. “Brooks then said that erosion plays a significant role in sea-level rise, which is not an idea embraced by mainstream climate researchers. He said the California coastline and the White Cliffs of Dover tumble into the sea every year, and that contributes to sea-level rise. He also said that silt washing into the ocean from the world’s major rivers, including the Mississippi, the Amazon and the Nile, is contributing to sea-level rise.

RONAN FARROW. Missing files maintained by the Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network spurred leak of Michael Cohen’s financial records.

SEN RICHARD BLUMENTHAL. Giuliani is wrong. Trump could be indicted. “The president is not above the law, and an indictment — if that’s the course that Robert Mueller chooses to go —  I believe would be upheld by the courts.”

HELEM. Lebanon’s refuge for LGBTQ people: “Tucked away in a quiet neighbourhood of Beirut, Helem, the first community centre for LGBTQI+ people in the Arab world, opens its doors every day from midday to evening. Everyone is welcome. Inside, in a study bathed by the afternoon sunshine, Wael Hussein, a 24-year-old gay man, is chatting with Naya, a transgender woman, ahead of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB) on Thursday. Behind the two is a bookcase filled with donated titles, including Les Amantes by French lesbian writer Jocelyne François.”

WORLD CUP. ISIS threatens to behead Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi

STUDY. Pop music getting more depressing: “‘Happiness’ is going down, ‘brightness’ is going down, ‘sadness’ is going up, and at the same time, the songs are becoming more ‘danceable’ and more ‘party-like,’” co-author Natalia L. Komarova told The Associated Press.

BEAUTIFUL GAME. Madonna announces new Mirwais-produced single which she performed at the Met Gala.

That I never Learned………….Coming Soon! ????#music #magic #mirwais ?pic.twitter.com/LDKhq7d3kS

— Madonna (@Madonna) May 17, 2018

AUSTRALIA. Victoria practitioners of gay conversion therapy could face prosecution: ‘The state’s health minister, Jill Hennessy, has formally asked the health complaints commissioner to investigate the “highly damaging” and “abhorrent” practice that purports to “cure” homosexuality.’

AQUATIC RESCUE OF THE DAY. Dog rescues dog. “When Remus saw his friend Smokey nearly drown in a backyard pool in Arizona, he didn’t hesitate for a moment to step in and save his four-legged friend. Laurie Sorsen Becerra, who posted the on Facebook two weeks ago, says Smokey isn’t a good swimmer and the two “rambunctious” dogs — who play around the pool all the time with no mishaps — must have gotten to the pool unsupervised through a fence.”

THIRSTY THURSDAY. Antony Tran.

Instagram Photo

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Aaron Schlossberg, Shawn Mendes, Ronan Farrow, Madonna, John Travolta, Jim Acosta, Lebanon: HOT LINKS

[RED GIRL] International Day Against Homophobia GIFT

[RED GIRL] International Day Against Homophobia GIFT

[RED GIRL] posted a photo:

[RED GIRL] International Day Against Homophobia GIFT

HI GUYS.
I made this Pride Face Tattoo, for this good cause, my cause. As LGBT I feel that is always important to remember that we need to fight against Homophobia.

So go to our mainstore and get yours ♥
You just need to join Red Girl group (free to join)

2 TATTOO VERSIONS
OMEGA APPLIERS

Taxi: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/River%20Village/148/104/2902

www.flickr.com/photos/141523956@N08/41458902834/

Politicians,Celebrities and Businesses Honor IDAHOTB

Politicians,Celebrities and Businesses Honor IDAHOTB

On International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB), members of Congress, celebrities, politicians and businesses reaffirmed their support for global LGBTQ equality.

Businesses

To mark the #IDAHOTB2018 #Airbus in France signed a charter aimed at securing the rights of #LGBT+ employees.
We are proud to be among 120 companies which have expressed support for the @UNHumanRights #LGBTI global business standards! #Biz4LGBTI
#EmbraceDiversity #WeAreAirbus pic.twitter.com/2nLbmYG99i

— Airbus Careers (@AirbusCareers) May 17, 2018

Pride gives us all strength. Today we stand together in support of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. #IDAHOT #PrideAtAccenture t.co/p2LdPEz82g pic.twitter.com/DNQvmvZ8xH

— Accenture Community (@AccentureCmty) May 17, 2018

On #IDAHOTB2018, we reaffirm our conviction that businesses should #StandUp4HumanRights of #LGBTI people in the workplace & beyond. Learn more: t.co/hCaTcmMnP8 pic.twitter.com/EMEh8TDzSh

— Baker McKenzie (@bakermckenzie) May 17, 2018

Today Barclays colleagues from around the world have stood up against prejudice in all its forms and taken part in events to show their support for #IDAHOBIT2018 pic.twitter.com/ji6DdmdYfg

— Barclays Bank (@Barclays) May 17, 2018

Having more data on how companies approach gender #equality helps corporations raise capital, widen their investor base, and measure progress. The #BloombergGEI is now open for 2019 participation. Know more:

— Bloomberg LP (@Bloomberg) May 15, 2018

We believe that an inclusive and diverse workforce drive innovation and fosters new methods of discovery and we stand against homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia. #IDAHOTB t.co/GgPKLJjjjF

— WeAreIntel (@WeAreIntel) May 17, 2018

We believe that no matter who you are, where you’re from, who you love, or who you worship, you deserve to belong.

That’s why we’re standing with @UNHumanRights in support of #LGBTI global business standards. Learn more �� #IDAHOTB2018t.co/QAllxfyxv4

— AirbnbCitizen (@AirbnbCitizen) May 17, 2018

We’re celebrating #IDAHOT today across GSK, and standing together in support of equality ��️‍�� �� pic.twitter.com/j3hlBa8S5a

— GSK (@GSK) May 17, 2018

We #Standup4HumanRights to tackle all kinds of discrimination against #LGBTI people. That’s why we support the @UN global LGBTI standards of conduct for business. #IDAHOT #IDAHOT2018 #Biz4LGBTI t.co/XZTNLowaE0 pic.twitter.com/IW4Crv9qCL

— Siemens (@Siemens) May 17, 2018

Today, we are proud to celebrate the International
Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and
Transphobia and all that makes our communities, co-workers, and customers unique. #IDAHOT pic.twitter.com/Nm6DSbYVsm

— IKEA USA News (@IKEAUSANews) May 17, 2018 

Members of Congress

I see you, I hear you, & I will not let you be erased. #LGBTQPride #IDAHOT pic.twitter.com/bZHx2ZjvtI

— Rep. Gwen Moore (@RepGwenMoore) May 17, 2018

Today I am pushing back against high levels of violence against the #LGBTQ community in the United States and around the world. I am a proud supporter of H.Res 332, a resolution supporting the goals and ideals of #IDAHOT. pic.twitter.com/KkmAF6GHU1

— Dina Titus (@repdinatitus) May 17, 2018

Hate and violence have gone on far too long against the #LGBTQ community. Today we must all reaffirm our stand against it. #IDAHOT

— Eliot Engel (@RepEliotEngel) May 17, 2018

We refuse to let hate block out the inspiring voices & contributions of America’s LGBTQ community. #IDAHOT t.co/WAC2I7lCfr pic.twitter.com/WqtWMx4W6p

— Nancy Pelosi (@NancyPelosi) May 17, 2018

On International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia and every day, I join my colleagues in the @LGBTEqCaucus to speak out against discrimination, harassment, & violence against the #LGBTQ community in the United States & around the world. #IDAHOT pic.twitter.com/8eRaxsGXSf

— Steny Hoyer (@WhipHoyer) May 17, 2018

LGBTQ people still face discrimination around the world + at home. It’s up to us to speak out against hatred & fight for everyone’s rights regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression #IDAHOBIT2018 pic.twitter.com/mNzReAueFl

— US Rep. Darren Soto (@RepDarrenSoto) May 17, 2018

I stand with LGBTQ persons around the world who courageously fight bigotry & hate every day. Governments must protect individual rights and combat, not embrace, prejudice & oppression. The U.S. must always lead on the world stage with our values, including human rights. #IDAHOTB t.co/8wtScmyVMJ

— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) May 17, 2018

 Celebrities and Politicians 

It’s the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. A perfect day to speak with our amazing friend @vivekshraya and talk about her important new book I’m Afraid of Men. #IDAHOT #IDAHOTB pic.twitter.com/kdHFk6nB2x

— Tegan and Sara (@teganandsara) May 17, 2018

Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.

Every New Yorker should be able to be themselves without facing prejudice or discrimination. As long as I’m governor, I will always support policies that protect LGBTQ New Yorkers. #IDAHOTB #IDAHOT

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) May 17, 2018

Today is #IDAHOTB – International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. #WorldwideCelebrationOfSexualAndGenderDiversities #AlliancesForSolidarity #PowerInNumbers @may17IDAHOTB #LGBTQI+ #IDAHOBIT pic.twitter.com/9Bm6UcgLJI

— Sara Ramirez (@SaraRamirez) May 17, 2018

Everyone deserves the same rights & opportunities in life no matter who they love or how they identify. Today on #IDAHOTB, and every day, we stand together against stigma, persecution, and discrimination. t.co/zDkeFs6SQh pic.twitter.com/3iIypliSXI

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) May 17, 2018

www.hrc.org/blog/politicianscelebrities-and-businesses-honor-idahotb?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Is Being LGBTQ Halal?

Is Being LGBTQ Halal?

For many Americans, the concept of halal, an Islamic dietary standard, is likely not something people associate with anything other than food. However, the Arabic word also means “lawful” or “permitted.”

As we mark Ramadan, our fundamental question here is – are LGBTQ people permitted in Islam?

Dr. Imam Ludovic Zahed, an Islamic scholar and founder of the first inclusive mosque in France, aims to tackle this important question at the Inclusive Islam Workshop, co-sponsored by Muslims for Progressive Values and HRC Foundation’s Religion and Faith Program.

The workshop, generously funded by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation, explores ways in which sacred Islamic texts can be read to affirm the human rights of all individuals, with a particular emphasis on LGBTQ rights and Islam’s inherent values of inclusion and justice.

Two interactive workshops will take place, one in Dearborn, Michigan, on Monday, May 21, and another in Washington, D.C. on Friday, May 25, followed by breaking of Ramadan fast with iftar, sponsored by Muslims for Progressive Values.

This comes at a special time when the world’s 1.8 million Muslims celebrate the holy month of Ramadan. Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset to bring the faithful closer to God and remind them of the suffering of those less fortunate.

These workshops also come at a time when American Muslim support of LGBTQ equality is at an all-time high. According to a recent Public Religion Research Institute survey, almost two thirds of American Muslims favor non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people, including more than 35 percent who strongly support them. More than 50 percent of American Muslims now support marriage equality, up from 43 percent a few years ago.

General Muslim attittudes toward LGBTQ people — especially LGBTQ Muslims — remain complex. In 2014, HRC Foundation released Coming Home to Islam and to Self, a guide to help LGBTQ Muslims seeking to reconnect with their faith and build more inclusive communities.

Members of all faiths, race, backgrounds, sexual orientations and gender identities, those who are fasting and those who are not, are welcome to join the workshops and iftar. Contact [email protected] or [email protected] to learn more.

www.hrc.org/blog/is-being-lgbtq-halal?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

President Trump announces he will appoint Gary Bauer and other anti-LGBTQ nominations to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom

President Trump announces he will appoint Gary Bauer and other anti-LGBTQ nominations to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom

Gary Bauer
Photo Credit: AP Photo

Bauer joins virulently anti-LGBTQ activist, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, on the Commission

NEW YORK GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, today denounced the upcoming appointment of anti-LGBTQ activist Gary Bauer to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). President Trump announced that Johnnie Moore and Nadine Maenza, who also espouse anti-LGBTQ views, will be added to the USCIRF as well.

Gary Bauer has suggested LGBTQ activists want to criminalize Christianity and take kids from dissenting parents, and remarked that transgender people need to be counseled out of their truths. His full anti-LGBTQ record follows.

President’s Trump’s two additional picks for the USCIRF include Johnnie Moore, who claimed that Katy Perry’s “I Kissed A Girl” indoctrinates young people into being gay, and Nadine Maenza, who signed onto a group letter opposing the SCOTUS marriage ruling.

These three new picks follow the selection of activist Tony Perkins, who on Tuesday was appointed to the USCIRF on the recommendation of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Perkins, who serves as the president of the Family Research Council, a  Southern Poverty Law Center designated anti-LGBTQ hate group, has an extensive anti-LGBTQ record including calling for Justice Kennedy to be impeached following his marriage equality ruling, and comparing LGBTQ advocates to terrorists.

“President Trump and Leader McConnell’s selections are anti-LGBTQ political operatives, not experts on religion,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “The fact that anti-LGBTQ extremists like Gary Bauer and Tony Perkins will offer guidance on international issues to an administration that is already the most anti-LGBTQ in history is dangerous to LGBTQ people around the world.”

The role of the USCIRF is to review the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and make policy recommendations to the President, U.S. Secretary of State, and U.S. Congress.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Gary Bauer Extensive Anti-LGBTQ Record

Insists Martin Luther King “would have been mortified” by LGBTQ rights advances

— Warns that marriage equality creates climate where “we really do risk God taking His hand of protection off of our country,” which he claims “could very well mean the end of the American experiment in liberty under God.” 

— On supposed historical link to current marriage debate: “Our country fought a civil war over the idea that some matters are too important to be decided state by state. Just as slavery was an assault on human dignity, the redefinition of marriage is an assault on an institution at the foundation of successful families and civilizations.”

— Pushes inaccurate science: “More importantly, however, the government has an obligation to promote public policy that is best for the general welfare and to discriminate against behaviors that adversely impact society and public health. Tobacco use is heavily regulated by the state and smoking is strongly discouraged. A major study conducted by Oxford University demonstrated that homosexual conduct is three times more deadly than smoking. Homosexual behavior is fraught with adverse health affects. (sic) Again, this is not opinion, but documented medical fact.”  (*The researchers behind that Oxford study, conducted at the height of the AIDS crisis, have condemned the way folks like Bauer have twisted their findings)

— Claims gay activists’ ultimate goal is to throw dissenters in jail: “The ultimate goal of homosexual-rights activists is not to legalize same-sex marriage. Rather, it is to silence those who disagree with them and, if necessary, to throw them in jail. In a world in which the biblical viewpoint of marriage is demonized, it does not take a constitutional scholar to predict that soon those who hold that view will find themselves in court.”

— Chose the Obama Administration’s choice to simply invite gay-headed families to the annual White House Easter Roll as one of the “100 Mistakes, Misstatements and Missteps in Obama’s First 100 Days”

— “Ex-gay” advocate against “the tragedy of homosexuality”: “Story after story calls for everything from new hate crimes laws, to same-sex marriage, to pro-homosexual education policies. But policies like these would only compound the tragedy of homosexuality. The message of ex-gay ministries is one of hope and healing. Their aim is to save lives and souls.”

— Warns that “[t]he words ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ will soon disappear from our lexicon altogether, having been banished as ‘hate speech’ as they are exclusionary and discriminatory.” 

— Says marriage equality is “an incredible risk to our country and to our faith.” (22:55 in 1st clip)

— Says that things like the embrace of “the radical idea of men marrying other menhave increased gang culture, deteriorated the black family.

— Suggests LGBTQ activists want to criminalize Christianity and take kids from dissenting parents: “if we throw up our arms in frustration and surrender the political arena to the left, it will get a whole lot worse. We are headed toward the criminalization of Christianity. Let me explain. If a family were teaching its children that the KKK is the correct model for society, people would rightly be outraged. If Child Protective Services found out, that family would face the possibility of having its kids taken away for psychological child abuse. When it comes to same-sex marriage, the militant homosexual movement and its left-wing media allies have, unbelievably, taken the normal view of marriage and equated it with the kind of raw bigotry I just described. If we stop fighting, in short order you will not be able to teach your children that God intended them to marry someone of the opposite sex

— Was behind one of the most mocked ads of the 2012 election cycle, claiming President Obama was going to force gay marriage on everyone

— Says transgender individuals need to be counseled out of their truths: “In a healthy society, we would be compassionately seeking counseling for people who cannot come to terms with their sex. But in America today, it’s the parents who must come to terms with their children’s transgenderism.”

— In late nineties, declared himself “immovable” on the topic of gay people needing to “get out” of “a destructive lifestyle”: “I will encourage anybody I can to get out of what I think is a destructive lifestyle. I don’t believe a healthy society can endorse, subsidize, or encourage it. I am sorry if this disappoints you, but again, on this, I am immovable.”

May 17, 2018

www.glaad.org/blog/president-trump-announces-he-will-appoint-gary-bauer-and-other-anti-lgbtq-nominations-united