Pete Souza, James Comey, Disney, Shawn Mendes, Summa Cum Laude, Harvey Milk Vodka, Runaway Horse: HOT LINKS

OPENING SOON. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

MISTAKEN PROFANITY OF THE DAY. Bakery refuses to write “summa cum laude” on a cake.

JAMES COMEY. Fired former FBI Director blasts Trump on Twitter. “Facts matter. The FBI’s use of Confidential Human Sources (the actual term) is tightly regulated and essential to protecting the country. Attacks on the FBI and lying about its work will do lasting damage to our country. How will Republicans explain this to their grandchildren? Dangerous time when our country is led by those who will lie about anything, backed by those who will believe anything, based on information from media sources that will say anything. Americans must break out of that bubble and seek truth.”

Facts matter. The FBI’s use of Confidential Human Sources (the actual term) is tightly regulated and essential to protecting the country. Attacks on the FBI and lying about its work will do lasting damage to our country. How will Republicans explain this to their grandchildren?

— James Comey (@Comey) May 23, 2018

Dangerous time when our country is led by those who will lie about anything, backed by those who will believe anything, based on information from media sources that will say anything. Americans must break out of that bubble and seek truth.

— James Comey (@Comey) May 23, 2018

SHADE. White House photographer Pete Souza announces new book comparing Trump to Obama.

TOO INCONVENIENT. Trump resists security features for personal phone.

STUMPING. Or Trumping?

Trump just stepped all over GOP midterm messaging.

“Your vote in 2018 is every bit as important as your vote in 2016 — although I’m not sure I really believe that,” Trump ad libs. “I don’t know who the hell wrote that line.” pic.twitter.com/tk6G7CfD4H

— Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) May 23, 2018

RULING. Judge rules Trump can’t block individuals on Twitter for political views.

JUST IN: Federal judge rules that President Trump’s Twitter account cannot block individuals for political views they have expressed. – @Tom_Winter pic.twitter.com/SzixrdyWO0

— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 23, 2018

STOLI GIVES EM HOPE. Harvey Milk vodka.

SCOTT PRUITT. EPA chief bars CNN, AP from meeting on contaminants, forcibly throws reporter out of building: ‘”The Environmental Protection Agency’s selective barring of news organizations, including the AP, from covering today’s meeting is alarming and a direct threat to the public’s right to know about what is happening inside their government,” said AP Executive Editor Sally Buzbee. “It is particularly distressing that any journalist trying to cover an event in the public interest would be forcibly removed,” Buzbee added. CNN said in a statement that its reporter also was turned away from covering the event “after multiple attempts to attend.”‘

YOU TALKING TO ME? Robert De Niro bans Trump from his restaurants.

ELLIOTT BROIDY. More evidence he may have been covering for Trump in the Playmate affair.

GOING DARK. FBI grossly inflated statistics about locked up smartphones: “The FBI has repeatedly provided grossly inflated statistics to Congress and the public about the extent of problems posed by encrypted cellphones, claiming investigators were locked out of nearly 7,800 devices connected to crimes last year when the correct number was much smaller, probably between 1,000 and 2,000, The Washington Post has learned.”

ADAM LAMBERT. On expressing his sexuality in the music industry.

NOT ACCEPTED. Aaron Schlossberg apologizes.

pic.twitter.com/xrefxi5Oyg

— AaronSchlossbergLaw (@ASchlossbergLaw) May 22, 2018

GENERIC POLL. Republicans lead for first time: “The poll showed 38.1 percent of registered voters said they would vote for a Republican candidate if midterm elections were held today, compared to just under 37 percent who said they’d vote for a Democrat.”

Say good-bye to the D-advantage in the generic ballot. Our latest Reuters/Ipsos poll shows that registered voters as likely to support Republicans as Democrats. @ReutersPolitics t.co/0ZIVVs6Zqc pic.twitter.com/rLIHL7jPRl

— Chris Kahn (@Cmkahn) May 21, 2018

REAL ESTATE. Realtors call on NAR to stop donating to anti-LGBTQ candidates: “The National Association of Realtors (NAR) spent part of its annual midyear conference in Washington, D.C., reckoning with a dark past — one of exclusion and racism. Now members of the trade association are calling on NAR in a letter to honor a promise of fair housing and dump its financial support of California Congressman Dana Rohrabacher after he voiced opposition to a congressional bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Fair Housing Act, something that complies with NAR’s own code of ethics.”

NEW TUNE OF THE DAY. Shawn Mendes “Nervous”.

REMIX OF THE DAY. Troye Sivan “My My My” (Hot Chip Remix).

SAVE OF THE DAY. Reporter catches runaway horse.

HUMP DAY HOTTIE. Antonin the 2nd.

The post Pete Souza, James Comey, Disney, Shawn Mendes, Summa Cum Laude, Harvey Milk Vodka, Runaway Horse: HOT LINKS appeared first on Towleroad.

Pete Souza, James Comey, Disney, Shawn Mendes, Summa Cum Laude, Harvey Milk Vodka, Runaway Horse: HOT LINKS

“13 Reasons Why” under fire for this incredibly graphic male rape scene
The second season of the hit Netflix series is once again courting controversy. This time it’s over an incredibly graphic male scene in the season finale.

www.queerty.com/13-reasons-fire-graphic-male-rape-scene-20180523?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

Gay Man Loses Primary Bid to Unseat Kim Davis

David Ermold, one of the gay men denied a marriage license by Kim Davis in Rowan County, Kentucky, lost his primary bid on Tuesday to unseat her.

The Courier-Journal reports: “David Ermold sought the Democratic nomination in Tuesday’s primary in Rowan County, Kentucky. He lost to Elwood Caudill in a four-way Democratic primary, despite a campaign that raised more than $200,000 with donations from at least 48 states. Caudill will face Davis, the religious conservative who said in 2015 that ‘God’s authority’ prevented her from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, in November. No one challenged Davis for the Republican nomination.”

The post Gay Man Loses Primary Bid to Unseat Kim Davis appeared first on Towleroad.

Gay Man Loses Primary Bid to Unseat Kim Davis

National Foster Care Month: Meet Dameon, David, Marcus, Lucina & Timothy

In partnership with FosterClub, HRC’s All Children – All Families project has launched its #FosterEquality campaign to share stories throughout National Foster Care Month of young LGBTQ leaders who have experienced foster care. Their stories underscore the importance of learning from and advocating for LGBTQ youth in care who all too often struggle with understanding their identities without the support of an affirming adult.

This week, we are proud to highlight the stories of Marcus Bell, Dameon Caldwell, Timothy Dennis, Lucina Kayee and David Oyola, who are working to make a difference in the lives of other young people across the U.S.

Marcus Bell

Bell was raised in foster care for 16 1/2 years, eventually emancipating from the system when he was 17. Bell knew from a very young age that he wanted to find a career that would allow him to help other youth raised in foster care. He worked to help pass 2010 California law AB12, which granted youth the option to stay in care until age 21. Although Bell was too old to benefit from the law, he said, “it was a blessing to have been able to help with the passing of the bill.” Bell loves being able to talk with young people about their hardships and how they overcame them, and he hopes to be more involved with the community and provide support when he can.

Dameon Caldwell

Caldwell spent 12 years in more than 10 foster care placements across Ohio. Currently, the 23-year-old serves as an advocate for LGBTQ equality, foster youth and domestic violence victims. He is close to completing a criminal justice degree and hopes to become a juvenile probation officer. Caldwell also volunteers as often as he can, whether it’s showing up at Pride, working in his community or attending a rally. Caldwell’s life goal is to open a music studio for inner city youth as an option to the streets. “I will always want to change the system to make it easier for the kids coming back into the system,” he said.

Timothy Dennis

Dennis spent all his teenage years in foster care. Dennis graduated high school in Knoxville, Tennessee, and then obtained his certified nursing assistant license. Dennis’ passion in life is to give back to current foster youth who are have similar experiences to his own. He dreams of eventually working with the Department of Children’s Services in the Independent Living Department or Child Protective Services Division. Dennis wants to ensure that teenagers are aware of all the opportunities available to them that will help them successfully transition out of foster care and into adulthood and a prosperous future.

Lucina Kayee

Having already experienced the trials of emigrating from Liberia to America, foster care was just one more obstacle for Kayee. Her first placement was at St. Joseph’s Home For Children where, unfortunately, she’d end up returning 16 times between placements in homes. From a young age, Kayee displayed a passionate ability to take initiative to help others, often teaching peers and even older youth in her facility. She eventually turned her skills into a job with her agency, becoming the youngest person ever employed there. She is a powerful advocate, honored for both her personal aptitude and courageous work on behalf of other youth. Kayee aspires to one day complete a degree in political science and become an international immigration attorney.

David Oyola

Oyola was in and out of Connecticut foster care from the age of three to 24. He  entered care due to his father’s negligence and eventual arrest. Oyola had multiple stints in care because of his to his father’s abuse, entering the system for the final time at age 15 when his mother passed away. He stayed with DCF voluntarily at age 18 with the help of an independent living program, which allowed him to live in his own apartment as long as he attended school or worked full time. At age 24, Oyola aged out of care. His lifelong goal is to one day own his own home.

Having an affirming voice and a caring adult can be immensely powerful for young people in care. HRC advocates for foster youth year round through our All Children – All Families project, which helps agencies improve their services for LGBTQ youth in foster care.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a foster parent and supporting LGBTQ youth in care, check out HRC’s resources about foster parenting.

Learn more about All Children–All Families’ work to promote LGBTQ cultural competency in adoption and foster care at hrc.org/acaf. Want to stay up-to-date on All Children – All Families resources and activities? Subscribe to “Field Forward,” the program’s monthly e-newsletter at hrc.im/field-forward.

www.hrc.org/blog/national-foster-care-month-meet-dameon-david-marcus-lucina-timothy?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed

Interview Magazine: A View on the Inside

Warhol distributed his little magazine by hand until the whole world wanted it. Jeff Yarbrough writes about the frivolity and celebrity-stalking back in the golden days.

www.advocate.com/commentary/2018/5/23/interview-magazine-view-inside

The Royal Wedding Gets the ‘Bad Lip Reading’ Treatment

Some news organizations like Sky News hired lip readers to decipher what was said at last weekend’s royal wedding. However, we now have a much better idea thanks to this new video.

The post The Royal Wedding Gets the ‘Bad Lip Reading’ Treatment appeared first on Towleroad.

The Royal Wedding Gets the ‘Bad Lip Reading’ Treatment

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: May 23, 2018

HRC AND LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE REQUEST INVESTIGATION INTO ANTI-TRANS INCIDENT IN CALIFORNIA: HRC and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law released a letter asking California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to ensure a thorough review and investigation into Jazmina Saavedra, a political candidate in California who recorded a non-consensual video of herself following a transgender woman into a bathroom, harassing her and repeatedly and intentionally misgendering her. “Jazmina Saavedra’s actions are dangerous. She invaded a woman’s privacy while harassing and misgendering the victim. This type of discriminatory behavior is unacceptable, especially from someone seeking to represent the people of California,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. More from HRC, Bustle, and INTO.

Jazmina Saavedra:
-invaded a woman’s privacy
-filmed her without her consent
-repeatedly misgendered and harassed her
….all while asking the people of California to send her to Congress.t.co/dbGiJLQevl

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 22, 2018

HRC RESPONDS TO FEDERAL COURT DECISION REAFFIRMING PROTECTIONS FOR TRANSGENDER STUDENTS IN GAVIN GRIMM CASE:  The court ruled that Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects transgender students from discrimination — including being forced to use separate bathroom facilities. “No student should feel unsafe at school, regardless of gender identity. Transgender students are covered by Title IX and are entitled to the same rights and protections as every other student,” said Sarah Warbelow, HRC Legal Director. Grimm had challenged his Virginia school district’s policy that prevented him from using the restroom that corresponded with his gender identity. More from HRC. 

With the Trump-Pence administration’s barrage of attacks on #LGBTQ people in this country, including children, @HRC is pleased that yet another federal court has reaffirmed legal rights and dignity of #transgender people. t.co/nMCBEtcJuB

— Human Rights Campaign (@HRC) May 23, 2018

OUTRAGEOUS — BETSY DEVOS TELLS CONGRESS SHE’LL CONTINUE TO IGNORE CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AGAINST TRANSGENDER STUDENTS: The Secretary of Education, during a House committee grilling, said she would not take action on violations “ntil the Supreme Court opines or until [U.S. Congress] takes action.” More from The Hill.

HRC-ENDORSED CANDIDATES GINA ORTIZ JONES AND TIPPI MCCULLOUGH WIN THEIR PRIMARIES: Congratulations to Gina Ortiz Jones (@ginaortizjones) on her victory in Texas’s 23rd congressional district primary runoff. If elected in November, she will be the first openly gay, first Iraq War vet and first Filipina-American to represent Texas in Congress. And last night in Arkansas, Tippi McCullough (@ElectTippi) won the primary in the 33rd state House District.

• Also last night, Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez became the Democratic nominee for Texas governor — the first openly lesbian Texan to do so. More from Advocate.

WHAT WE’RE READING WEDNESDAY — LGBTQ ELDERS FORCED BACK INTO THE CLOSET BY LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES:  The Merion, a senior living community in Evanston, Illinois, is the first in the state to achieve a credential from SAGE  in LGBTQ competency. The number of LGBTQ people in the state over age 50 is estimated at 2.7 million, and is expected to grow — as are reports of anti-LGBTQ  bias and bullying. More from Chicago Tribune.

The discrimination and bullying LGBTQ elders face is too often overlooked. @sageusa and @Adams_SAGEUSA are doing crucial work to ensure senior living homes are welcoming to all. t.co/4u9HtORYLw

— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) May 22, 2018

U.S. SENATORS INTRO BILL TO ENSURE RFRA CAN’T BE USED TO HARM OTHERS: Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) yesterday introduced the Do No Harm Act, which would clarify that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) is intended to protect religious freedom without allowing the infliction of harm on other people. More from HRC and The Washington Post.

PRINCIPAL REMOVED TO SETTLE CASE BROUGHT BY TWO LGBTQ STUDENTS IN OREGON TARGETED BY SCHOOL STAFF: The agreement calls for the North Bend School District to fire the principal and improve the school climate for LGBTQ students. “In Oregon, we want our children to thrive in inclusive environments and to be able to focus on learning,” Gov. Kate Brown, who is openly bisexual, told the AP. “Every student deserves to feel welcomed at their schools, and to know that they are safe — no matter where they come from or how they identify.” More from The Associated Press.

GLAAD RELEASES INDEX OF LGBTQ REPRESENTATION IN MOVIES: It reveals that representation in major motion pictures in the past year has been the lowest since 2012. More from The Daily Beast.

TRANSGENDER CUSTOMERS ALLEGEDLY DENIED SERVICE AT NASHVILLE IHOP: They were attending a local conference and reported being laughed at by staff and denied service. The group was comprised primarily of people of color. More from CBS19 and The Hill.

DETROIT-AREA CHURCH CREATES SUPPORT GROUP FOR TRANS COMMUNITY: After a Detroit-area church made headlines when it held a workshop promoting practices similar to the dangerous practice of “conversion therapy,” another church created a support group for the transgender community. More from Detroit Metro Times.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

DESPICABLE — GHANA’S STATE-OWNED PAPER ATTACKS LGBTQ EQUALITY: The article was titled “Let’s Unite To Reject LGBT.” More from NewNowNext.

CANADA JOINS GLOBAL EQUALITY FUND: The fund brings together governments, foundations and corporations to support LGBTQ equality, including HRC. More from Washington Blade.

BELARUSIAN INTERIOR MINISTRY ATTACKS LGBTQ COMMUNITY IN STATEMENT: It makes the specious claim that  “same-sex relationships are fake”. More from RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty.

FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS’ FEDERATION WARNS WORLD CUP FANS OF POTENTIAL ANTI-LGBTQ DISCRIMINATION IN RUSSIA: More from Telegraph.

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!

Project Q Atlanta congratulates its new editor, Patrick Saunders (@patricksaunders); Comicbook reports that the show ‘Supergirl’ will feature a transgender character; Advocate honors LGBTQ advocates in all 50 states; INTO profiles 10 LGBTQ candidates in Ohio; Miami Herald looks at the American presence at Havana’s LGBTQ Pride festival

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-may-23-2018?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed